


The Legend of the Abomination - Book One: Amity

by RenKintasu



Series: The Legend of the Abomination [1]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Abomination, Action/Adventure, Air Nomads (Avatar), Airbending & Airbenders, Avatar: The Last Airbender References, Bending (Avatar), Bounty Hunters, Chases, Earth, Earth Kingdom (Avatar), Earthbending & Earthbenders, Fandom Blind, Fantasy, Fiction, Fire, Fire Nation (Avatar), Firebending & Firebenders, Gen, Inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender, Legends, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Avatar: The Last Airbender, Post-Avatar: The Legend of Korra, Water, Water Tribe(s) (Avatar), Waterbending & Waterbenders, air, jorney
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:07:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 71,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23719447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RenKintasu/pseuds/RenKintasu
Summary: It has been more than 200 years since Avatar Korra.In that time, avatars came and went, and the world regressed. The cycle repeated itself, and the current Avatar of the water tribe created lasting peace and became a celebrity.A deity.And then chaos came, with the Abomination. A being that bends more than one element, but not all of them. A witch hunt begins, and four innocent people are dragged into it.Who is the villain?
Series: The Legend of the Abomination [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1829494
Comments: 6
Kudos: 6





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> The perfect video to set the mood: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5eB351Pnms&t=2s

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Suggested song for the chapter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSkb0kDacjs (Iron - Woodkid)

The waves crashed against the fragile hull of the ship. Every swing stronger than the last, making even the most experienced and resistant sailor sick. Still, the sailors were running back and forth, adjusting the sheets, untangling ropes, and helping their lads when needed. Buckets and barrels were used to throw out the water that was flooding the deck, but the waves kept coming, bringing more water into the ship. Some passengers that were waterbenders volunteered to help minimize the damage. All they could do was stop the ship from flooding. The waves were too big and strong for their abilities.

A couple hugged their daughter, crying while telling her everything would be fine. The little girl only seemed confused, without understanding her parents’ reaction and the reason they were standing there in the rain. She couldn’t see the storm behind her parents’ bodies. An old merchant, who had refused to go to the lower deck, was holding onto something firm while gazing at the sky. It was impossible to know if the water streaming down his face were tears or raindrops. 

At the lower deck, safe from the cold and the water, the other passengers squeezed against one another, praying for whichever god they believed in for it all to end. Later, some would say, safe and sound in Republic City, that that had been a haunted day, which marked the beginning of a new era of chaos. Others would simply enjoy their families, with a newfound respect for life.

The captain of the ship maneuvered it in the best way possible, always aiming the front of the ship at the heart of the waves – which were three times bigger than his poor _Katara_. If a wave crashed against the lateral of the ship, they would all be doomed. In more than 45 years as a sailor, he had never seen a storm like that. Not even the resilient metal hull made by the Metal Clan of Zaifu would be capable of resisting those waves for much longer.

If a man fell from the ship, he would be a dead man.

Passengers cried and prayed, thinking about their families or their dreams. Sailors cursed at everything and everyone, deeming themselves darned. The captain worked miracles on the helm.

A figure, huddled up on the deck, seemed indifferent to what was happening around it.

The sailors who ran by didn’t even notice the frail figure, covered from head to toe with a wet blanket. It practically blended with the dark night.

That person was drenched without mercy with each crashing wave. But nothing – the wetness, the swaying, the screams, not even the death risk – seemed to affect that figure. All it did was stay there, shaking. That person didn’t mind death, or the cold, or the nausea. It did not matter whether or not that person would drown and die or make it to the port.

No one tried to help. It was better this way, since chances were that the passengers would rather throw the poor figure into the ocean than help it. Therefore, if the storm felt like swallowing it, so be it. Mother Nature was unbiased, without prejudice.

It equally drowned the sailor and the abomination.


	2. Chapter 1: The Small Desert

_It will be like taking a walk,_ they said. _That desert is small, you will cross it quickly without any problems_ , they said. Yan had been walking in that accursed desert for more than a day. He had to admit, the desert was ridiculously smaller than the Si Wong desert, nothing more than a point on a map that you would see through a magnifying glass. But "smaller" did not necessarily mean "small". Or less hot. He was melting.

The sandbenders of that damn place could roll on the dunes at will, but not everyone should be forced to adapt to the horrible desert climate. Again, however, he thanked for not being Si Wong's sandbenders. Those in the desert in which Yan "strolled" were far less prickly. They were even very cordial and helpful, and Yan's coins never got out of his pockets. But their sense of distance was awful.

Yan had to admit, however, that part of the fault was his. Had he not spent half of his silver coins on that damn fake vase from the age of avatar Roku, he could have paid for transportation across the desert. He swore to himself that he was going to find that lying salesperson and shove the (broken, obvious) vase down his throat. Yuan was not accepted in the desert, of course. The damn place was between two tourist spots close to overpopulated cities, but the people of the desert were still "old school". He had been warned that "modernity" might not have been installed very well in various places of the Earth Kingdom, but that was a little too much. "Adapt or die," said a wise man he had met in Omashu. Ironically, he had died, but that was beside the point.

With these pleasant thoughts, Yan, distracted, ended up stumbling, and rolled down the dune the way he had climbed. With his face in the sand, he cursed every bloody being, object or thought that had anything to do with sand, knowing that only spirits would be able to hear him. Slowly, he removed his buried face and sneezed all the sand that was in his mouth and nostrils. Thanks Gyatso he had closed his eyes. He removed the sand off his clothes and looked at the sky, tired. A beautiful, cloudless day. Had to be a joke. In the only place he would love rain, the sky laughed at him. As soon as he arrived in the city, he would look in his books which cursed spirit was associated with the climate. He was going to pester the hell out of it.

Still angry, he picked up his backpack, probably full of sand, which had not fallen far, and went back up the dune. This time paying close attention.

The dune was huge, and he was already exhausted before he reached the halfway point. Perhaps, at least, he could get a sense of the horizon at the top, because it looked like the biggest dune in kilometers.

However, he did not expect to see _that_.

From the top of the dune, he could see the city he longed for, at last. It was not far, and that was the last dune, from there to the city it was just flat ground with small piles of sand. _That_ was going to be a “walk”, compared to the desert he had just crossed.

 _Wait... if that's the city, then..._ , thought Yan, and looked east. Yes, there it was.

The Avatar Temple.

A large building made of various materials, which shone in the distance. In addition to the natural glow, from the top of the single tower in the center of the temple, a lighthouse emitted several lights over the yellowish sea around it. It was a beautiful sight. The most visited tourist spot in the world. On the side of a goddamn desert.

Such was the relief that Yan lay down and let himself slide down the dune. He almost kissed the firm and robust soil he found at the foot of the dune. He leaned back, not caring about the sand, and laughed. He was going to take a quick run to the city and then sprint to the temple. It was as if all the tiredness and heat he felt was no more.

Then the thirst hit him. He took his canteen and drank the remaining drops. He was still thirsty, but the city was right there. He continued laughing, but deep inside he knew the dehydration was worse than he would like to admit. He was indeed unprepared.

That was when he noticed another stranger, also leaning against the dune, a few meters to his left. He wore a desert cloak to protect himself from the sun (an idea that had escaped his mind, which he was going regret for a long time. He would be "tanned" for days) and calmly drank water from his flask. The flask looked full. Yan couldn't help but wet his lips. Or try, at least, neither saliva he had anymore.

The wanderer noticed him. The thirsty man turned his face, ashamed. He began to try to get up when a flask landed beside him. Startled, he looked at the wanderer. He just stared him down. Yan took it as a "go ahead", grabbed the canteen and started drinking. He only stopped when the last drop fell. By Gyatso, he was thirsty.

A little refreshed, he got up and went to the stranger.

"Excuse me for my thirst, I ended up empting your canteen," Yan said, legitimately guilty. He had been irresponsible, that stranger could be just as thirsty. However, the wanderer gave a light laugh and unveiled his head. There, a young man appeared, barely younger than Yan, with a rigid but well-groomed face and messy, full-length black hair.

"It’s alright," he replied, taking the flask back and tying it around his waist. “You needed it more than me. Besides, the city is right there.” Then he got up, took off his cloak and knocked the sand out. Yan did the same.

“Still, thank you. Crossing that desert was hell. And all because of a damn vase...” Yan interrupted himself, realizing that he had started talking too much again. He needed to learn self-control. The wanderer had an eyebrow raised. “Anyway, thanks... uhm...” Realizing that the stranger did not intend to share his name, he took the initiative. “My name is Yan, Yan Li Bai”. The stranger just looked at him.

Then, the earth shook and formed waves, and they were both thrown away.

At the point of impact, there was a huge man, easily over two meters tall, kneeling, with one fist on the ground. Platinum cuffs gleamed on his wrists. The sun was shining on his hairless head, his muscles strained. He stood up and let out a bestial growl.

Yan and the wanderer were already on their feet, battle ready.

The giant went after them. The wanderer stepped on the floor, and a large pillar of earth came out of the ground and hit the great man's chin. The pillar broke, seeming only to make the Giant dizzy; he responded by bending a huge wall of earth that ran towards the two. Yan, startled, got out of the impact radius, but the wanderer, surprised no more, with a rigid movement of his body and arms, separated the wall in two, its pieces flying harmlessly through his sides. Responding immediately, he bent the earth and sank the Giant. Barely bothered, with pure brute force, he dug himself out, but a rock had already been thrown against his face. He fell to the floor, looking merely aggravated, indifferent to the blood running from his nose. When he punched the ground, a wave of earth the size of his wrath formed, breaking the wanderer's defense.

That was when Yan attacked.

He got close without the giant noticing, and exploded a gust of air in his face, knocking him back. A large block of earth left the ground and hit Yan midair. He bent the air to steady himself, but still fell to the ground, due to the force of the impact. The giant was already preparing a block to hit him when the earth at his feet slid, making him slide down, and then a rock of considerable size hit him, coming from the wanderer’s direction. Taking the chance, Yan started to bend the air around him, levitating the Giant, breaking his contact with the ground. He struggled, making it difficult, until another rock hit him. Then he struggled _more_.

A large jet of water flew and enveloped the great man in midair, and then solidified. Startled, Yan dropped the Giant, and the ice shattered. Again, water flew and froze him before he got up. Yan and the wanderer looked in the direction the water had come, and from there came a small, thin man in a quick trot.

“Great! Thank you very much! You have no idea of how much you have helped! You prevented a catastrophe!” Shouted the tired little man. “The Avatar thanks you!”


	3. Chapter 2: The Great Temple

“Kuzou”

The wanderer startled Yan. They walked side by side, helping the waterbender transport the giant.

“My name is Kuzou. You seemed to want to know back then,” he said, finishing forming a bed of rock for the great man, while the waterbender formed an ice rink for the bed to slide.

“Oh... right, yes...” Yan didn't even remember what happened, the attack still seemed unreal. That said, there was nothing like a surprise attack to help create bonds. Yan laughed at that thought. The wanderer got in the mood.

“So... an airbender, is it? What does one do so far from his temple, if I may ask?”

“Uh...” He measured the words, holding himself back from speaking too much again. “I'm... well, kind of on a pilgrimage.”

“You mean the nomads' rite of passage?” asked Kuzou, mischievous.

“E... exactly”. He really was not cut for subtlety. “Ah, to hell with it. I am in my rite of passage from the east air temple. It has... it's been a while.”

Kuzou looked puzzled, but was interrupted by the water bender.

“Okay, all set. Care to accompany me? I will probably need help with... this,” he said, pointing at the giant.

They agreed and began to walk. Kuzou kept the bed with the giant moving and stable, while the slender one increased the front of the ice rink and retracted the rear as they walked.

“Earlier... you mentioned the Avatar and did not explain further,” commented Yan, curious.

“Ah yes. You did a great service for the Avatar today. To the whole world, even. Don't worry that you will be handsomely rewarded when we arrive at the Avatar Temple.”

“But why...” he started and stopped, absorbing the information. “Avatar Temple? Are we going there?!” Exclaimed Yan, excited, completely forgetting the question he was going to ask.

“Of course. However, I am sorry to inform you the Avatar will not be present, as he is visiting Ba Sing Se at the moment”

“Right! I heard about the rebellions. I suppose the Avatar went to try to calm the animosity between the rebels and ‘king’ Quan” Yan heard about the problems in a tavern near the port where he had arrived at the Earth Kingdom. It seemed that the city was more fragile than ever. “Hopefully this time everything will be settled.”

“We all hope so, but we know better. A problem that lasts half a century can no longer be solved by diplomacy. However, it never hurts to try. This world has seen too many wars,” said the waterbender.

“Indeed. Anyway, going back to the temple business, how does...” began Yan, eyes sparkling.

"Anyway", interrupted Kuzou. Yan seemed frozen in the question he never finished. “Who do we owe the pleasure of this political talk? And all of this, really?” he said, gesturing to the great being on the bed of rock, still unconscious.

“Oh yes. My name is Yikki. I am the Avatar’s personal assistant and representative. I am also the curator of the Museum of Balance, which is inside the temple...”

“ _You_ are the curator of the YinYang Museum?!” Yan cut off, dumbfounded. “Unbelievable! We have so much to discu...”

“And who is the man that attacked us?” Kuzou interrupted for the second time. Yan was petrified again at the unspoken question, but small muscle spasms in his fingers and forehead revealed his irritation.

“You deserve an explanation. But first, let's solve that little problem” said Yikki, pointing ahead.

A few meters ahead, there was the temple. Up close, you could see how gigantic it was. At the entrance, one could see the ridiculous amount of people waiting to enter. The four lines of people left the museum entrance and went straight into the city.

“Blessed be Aang! I knew this place was famous, but not that much!” the nomad was exasperated.

"Today is promotion day," said Yikki, a little annoyed. “They can't see this. What's your name, nomad?”

“Yan. Yan Li Bai.”

“Mr. Li Bai, can you use your bending to make the sand float? A sand curtain would be perfect.”

“Ah... sure... Of course! Of course, I can!” then began to blow a breeze to the ground, making the sand start to spread through the air. Soon, they were invisible to anyone who looked from a distance.

“Thank you very much. Now, come this way” he guided them, taking another path.

After a while, they realized they were at the back of the building. The rear gate was huge, and contained several holes and pipes along its length. The Avatar's assistant bent water out of the water bag at his waist and made it go through one of the holes, into the pipes. The gate creaked and started to open.

 _A bending door, fantastic!_ thought Yan, excitedly. The assistant noticed the nomad's spirits.

“Cool, isn’t it?”

“A lot! You don’t see many of those these days.” Yan ran his hand over the details perfectly carved into the stone of the door.

“The main entrance is also like this, and it's a rare one. To open it, four benders are needed, one of each element. It's like a show before the main course,” explained the curator, a hint of pride in his voice.

“I need to see that!” yelled Yan, almost jumping.

“I imagine the door we just passed through is safer than it looks,” Kuzou supposed, nonchalant.

“Of course it is. Every day, the indoor plumbing changes. Only someone from inside knows which hole leads to the right pipe, and what elements are allowed in the week.” said Yikki, closing the door by pulling a lever on the right.

“I hope we are not bringing back one of your attractions that escaped.” Kuzou quipped, acid. The curator seemed to appreciate the joke, and laughed.

“Oh, I wish... I wish...” he said when he stopped laughing. “Unfortunately, the matter is more serious. Much more serious. Follow me.”

They went through the dark indoor warehouse, until they reached a corridor. There, the curator turned on a light, and asked them to carry the giant, as the bed of rock would not fit along the way. Each took an arm, passed over the shoulders, and followed. Still, the giant barely fit in the tight corridor. They turned right at the end of it, almost unbalancing. Straight ahead, they came to a darker part, with cells. It was possible to see a great damage. The walls were cracked and pieces of concrete were falling off. One of the cells was literally demolished. Kuzou deduced it was the handiwork of the giant he was carrying. It was not a good omen.

The assistant opened a cell and gestured for them to enter. Inside, the curator asked to tie the great man's wrists and legs to chains on the wall. That done, Yikki pulled a lever out of the cell, and the chains were pulled until the giant hung on the wall, without contact with the ground. The cell finally locked, he turned to them and asked to accompany him.

They entered a room in the corridor adjacent to that of the cells, and sat on a sofa, facing each other. The room was small, but cozy.

“Very well. Now I owe you an explanation,” Yikki decided. “Yes, he is a prisoner. A very dangerous one, by the way. You have seen the extent of the destruction caused by it. He's pretty rough. Almost an animal. But, now, the necessary steps will be taken.”

“If I may say, this escape was anything but undue,” Kuzou said. The curator raised an eyebrow. “We saw personally earlier that he is a powerful and raw earthbender, however, the cells are made of elements derived from earth, which a simple child would be able to bend with training. Only the platinum cuffs seem appropriate for the case. Therefore, this place is inefficient as a prison. But I think the right question, in this case, is: why does a museum even have a prison?”

Yan was stunned by the findings. And a little concerned about the curator's possible response. He was facing a unique cultural opportunity, and he was afraid that all these questions would irritate the man who could guarantee that. However, Yikki gave a small smile.

“Very clever, Mr. Kuzou,” Yan realized then that he had overheard his conversation earlier with the wanderer. “What else was in the cells, did you notice?” he said, with a mischievous smile.

“Nothing unusual. A small torch in the left corner for lighting, and a bucket of water to hydrate the prisoner,” recalled Kuzou. The curator smile widened. Then he realized. “However... a torch takes more work to maintain than an oil lamp and is an option rarely used today... and the bucket... was too far for someone in chains to reach...”

The curator chuckled.

“We bring water to the cell every day, and the hall is very well lit, if we turn on the lights,” he said. “The walls around it are in fact earth and derivatives, but the one against which the prisoner is attached to, is just painted like that. Behind is a block of platinum. Nothing is there deliberately. Some cells have peculiarities different from others. Like walls of pure ice, little or much ventilation, torches or lanterns...”

Yan still didn't understand where it all led to. He looked at Kuzou, who seemed more focused, but also showed confusion. The curator seemed to be enjoying himself a great deal, as if he were teaching a particularly curious visiting group.

“The cell looks fragile, because that is the intention. Their job is not to arrest anyone; is to allow someone to escape.” That clearly surprised them both. “That brute can bend earth at will, as long as he escapes from the handcuffs. However, for this, it is impossible to use earth. Therefore, you can only use...”

“Another element.” added Yan. Both turned to face him. The pieces started to fit into his head. And in Kuzou's as well.

“The torch, the bucket... ice cells, well ventilated cells or not...” Kuzou developed. “All the cells look like they were made to deprive a single element, while the others are in abundance...”

“Exactly” smiled Yikki.

The Abomination.

Everyone looked at Yan, who had concluded faster. The curator nodded.

“Are you saying... that the man who attacked us and we brought here is... _the_ Abomination?!” exclaimed Kuzou, exalted.

“Precisely. We were not sure until today, when he managed to escape. But there is no doubt now.” said the curator, grim.

“Wait, he was stuck here... without you even being sure? Based on what?” Yan said, also exalted.

“Don't take us for fools. We know several people claim to have seen or interacted with the Abomination, but then someone checks, they discover the person is either crazy or that they were lying, for fame or for any other reason. We will always personally check. This had too much favorable evidence to be ignored. And now it's confirmed.”

“Very interesting museum of yours. How much do you charge for visits to verification sites?” hissed Kuzou, acid. He did not give the curator time to respond. “If that is really the Abomination, everyone here is in danger, right?”

“Calm down. I assure you the necessary measures are being taken as we speak to ensure its removal and the safety of visitors.”

Kuzou didn't seem to believe much. Yan remained silent.

“But enough of this nasty subject. I owed you an explanation for the misfortune, and it was given to you. Now, I would like this to stay between us, we don't want panic. So, let's enjoy the museum. You have free access to all of it free of charge, as a thank you. In fact, would you like me to be your guide?” said the Avatar's assistant, excited.

Yan jumped to his feet with excitement, completely forgetting the previous subject.

“But of course! I have so many questions! We'd love it, wouldn't we, Kuzou?” He shouted, excited. The wanderer didn't seem as inclined to go.

“Ah, to hell. Why not?” he finally released, getting up.

“Wonderful! Follow me,” instructed the curator. Everyone left the room and followed the corridor in the opposite direction from the darkness surrounding the giant.

Looking back, Yan could have sworn he heard a groan coming from there. Whether it was anger or sadness, he could not say.

Kuzou, who had also heard, knew that it was both.

Yan looked like a kid in a toy store. The place was wonderful.

One could see everything in there. Avatar Kyoshi's boots, Avatar Aang's glider, a portrait of Korra. These and other more important or recent avatars had wings of their own. Yikki was a great guide, giving information of the most curious and insignificant kind he had discovered, such as the fact that Avatar Korra fought in earthbending rings while she was missing; or that Avatar Aang accidentally won the heart of a girl in the Fire Nation, in the midst of a disguised infiltration. He commented at least a couple of times about his and the Avatar's intelligence in making the museum of glass layers, thus taking advantage of the resources of the desert around them. Kuzou was not jumping in joy like Yan, but he seemed genuinely interested. He watched every detail, and seemed to absorb all kinds of information.

“You seem to know a lot, nomad,” said the curator, watching the excited Yan after they left Avatar Roku's wing. The nomad looked slightly embarrassed and dismissed it. “Well, there's no point in doing that. I recognize an archeologist when I see one.” Yan stopped, surprised. Kuzou also stopped, looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Well... yeah, I guess you could say I'm an archaeologist. Antiques and the history of our world fascinate me. You can also say that I am a historian, then,” he said, embarrassed, but with a certain defiance. “But I'm not a good one, though. It is to be expected that a good archaeologist will recognize a fake vase before buying it,” he confessed, disgusted, and took the vase out of his faithful and huge backpack. “Roku’s era, my ass, that bastard must have painted a vase from his mother and put it on the shelf. 35 pieces of silver for this joke.”

The curator laughed and took the vase to have a look. Then his face started to get serious.

“Unbelievable! This is a vase from an era _before_ Roku! Its value is immeasurable!” exclaimed Yikki. Yan was gaping. “I would buy it for 500 pieces of gold... if it weren't for this little crack here. Now it's worthless.” and tossed the vase back. Yan trembled and looked on the verge of tears, with the vase clinging to his arm. “Easy, easy, it was a joke! It's just a painted vase.” he comforted him, laughing.

Yan still looked devastated. Kuzou, though, was having fun.

“Well, let's go to the ward I like best. This way.” he directed them, going through the middle of the lobby full of people. “And sorry for the joke”. Yan nodded his head in forgiveness, but still held the vase as if it were a son.

They passed by the beautiful central fountain, and headed towards the main stairs.

From the third floor, on the glass walkway above, someone was watching them.

They entered a large sun-bathed room, which came through the thick glass walls. The entire room, from the baseboard to the ceiling, was made of colored stained glass, giving a beautiful appearance to the place. Yan could see thousands of his reflections walking around the place, all repeating the same actions. Thousands of short men, with straight brown hair up to their shoulders, who held thousands of vases tightly against their chests. He looked like a child holding a toy. At least he was a handsome child.

“Stop admiring yourself, _Sokka_ , and come with us.” joked Yikki, nearby.

Yan, red with embarrassment, followed them again.

“Ah, here we are. Behold,” he said, pointing to a huge glass statue, twice the size of the Giant.

Looking deeper, they realized the glass was hollow, and, inside the statue, water flowed through the joints and limbs, as if it was blood. It was an incredible piece, carefully crafted, with a commitment that verged on devotion.

“This is our current Avatar, Avatar Kororrak, from the Water Tribe! I am proud to say that I am his assistant, and a close friend. We were both born in the Northern Water Tribe, and we trained together under the wisdom of the same master. And he chose me to accompany him on his adventures, an unimaginable honor, and even today I am grateful,” he said, his voice full of admiration. The statue was in a waterbending position, but even then, the Avatar held an imperative air. “I am proud to say that together we overcame the great crisis of our era, the return of the Equalitarians, and we will also overcome the crisis of Ba Sing Se's self-imposed monarchy. Soon, the worst of threats, the Abomination, will also be defeated. These were 19 years of adventures and clashes, and I hope that many years like these follow suit.

“Our Avatar is one of the strongest and most apt in the last 200 years, having mastered all the elements at 12, and all the derivative elements at 16. Today at 32, his wisdom is enormous, and his power immeasurable. He is..."

“Excuse me, sir, we have a problem.” interrupted an employee in the museum's colorful dress.

The curator seemed to wither. He turned to him sulking and asked what happened. The employee whispered in his ear, and left when Yikki dismissed him.

“How wonderful. It looks like the waterbender from the front door crew had an accident. I'm going to have to work this out, unfortunately; maybe even replace him. Forgive me. Enjoy the museum,” and withdrew, upset.

“Shit. The visit was being fascinating,” complained Yan, after he was out of sight.

“I don't know, I thought he was going to kiss the statue at any moment there.” Kuzou joked. Yan couldn't help but laugh.

“You don’t say! I was kind of hoping he would start to go like:” he said, joining the game. “‘Oh, Avatar, let's conquer the world… together!’” And they started to laugh.

Moreover, they laughed until they left the room, at the assistant's expense. They expected no one to hear, but at the same time, they knew that other people would laugh about it. After all, his case was obvious.

They separated briefly while Kuzou went to the bathroom and Yan went for a walk. They were slow to find each other again, as Yan got lost in the Korra wing.

“So, archaeologist and historian, huh?” asked Kuzou, when they met again in the lobby, next to the fountain made of crystal blue glass.

“Yeah. I have traveled the world looking after our past. This backpack has been my great travel companion, and without it, I would be lost.” Yan opened himself.

“Is that part of the nomadic rite of passage?”

“Yes. Since the Harmonic Convergence, more than 200 years ago, when new airbenders appeared... well, out of thin air,” he joked, “this rite of passage was created. To become a true master of the air, after years of training, we travel to see the world and cultures. That kind of makes up for the years of… seclusion...” Yan said, quietly, and clearly annoyed.

Kuzou looked curious, but Yan dismissed it. Before it was possible to insist, however, a girl approached them.

“Having fun, guys?” she asked.

She was short, about Yan's size, and had very short black hair. She appeared to be 17 years old, the innocence and beauty of youth were stamped on her face. And some freckles.

“The museum is very interesting, isn't it? I wonder what the part we don't see, the back part, must be. It must be very messy!” she laughed. She spoke very quickly.

“Not so much, it is quite well organized, full of fascinating things, and it is not made of glass, curious, no? Obviously, for reasons of safe...” Yan started to loosen his tongue.

Kuzou interrupted him with a gesture.

“So you were there?! Could you show me? I always wanted to see...” she ran them over, taking advantage of the situation.

“And who would the miss be?” intercepted Kuzou, suspicious.

“Uh... I'm... Mira! Yeah! Mira is my name! And yours?” she asked, blinking innocently.

“I'm Yan, and this is...” broke Yan again, before being cut by Kuzou as well.

“Nice save. Or you are dumb. But I don't think a dumb person is likely to be able to follow us as ‘skillfully’ as you did. So say, ‘Mira’, what do you want?” inquired Kuzou, sharp.

The girl looked frozen, with the big smile still plastered on her face. Yan was not far behind, gaping, looking from one to the other.

“I-I-I don't know what y-you're... talking abo...” she stammered, when she had finally thawed.

“However, looking from a glass walkway straight down for several seconds was very amateurish... glass is transparent on both sides, you know...” Kuzou continued teasing. None of them moved. “I wonder why you want to know so much about the ‘backstage’...”

Kuzou noticed the movement, but Yan was faster. He intercepted the girl's hand halfway through the blow. Airbenders really were fast.

Her appearance seemed anything but innocent then. Her eyes were focused, and she had been intercepted mid-attack. Yan was stronger than he looked; he was holding the girl steady, without wavering against her attempts to get rid of him.

Then, a flame appeared and burned the nomad's hand, who released the girl and extinguished the flame with a strong breath. Kuzou was already earthbending, forming an armor from the ground, crossing the crystalline tile of the lobby and establishing itself on his body. The firebender took distance and prepared to attack.

However, the clash never happened.

Because the earth shook, and the lobby seemed to explode.

The impact occurred behind Kuzou. The earth armor protected him from being thrown away. Yan was not so lucky; ended up inside the fountain. The girl was gone.

From the large hole that had formed in the now cracked wall, a huge being emerged, with broken platinum chains reflecting off his wrists and ankles. Kuzou, on the floor, turned and saw him.

The giant.

The Abomination.

With no time wasted, the giant bent the earth, forming a wave that destroyed the entrance, creating an escape route. Security guards and employees of different bend styles rushed to intercept him, but the next wave, of frightening size, knocked them out of the way, unconscious.

The great being ran towards the exit, facing no resistance.

From the same door that they had entered the museum before, the cell corridor, the curator came, limping.

“GET HIM, YOU IDIOTS! DO NOT LET _IT_ ESCAPE!” The Avatar's assistant was screaming, desperate. Were not for his military cut, his hair would be all over the place. However, his exclamations did not prevent the giant from escaping.

Kuzou, still in his damaged armor, got up and ran to Yan, who was staggering out of the fountain. Or trying; everything was shaking so much.

“What the f...” he started, dizzy.

“Come! This place is falling apart!” shouted the earthbender, helping the nomad.

With perfect timing, the building groaned.

And the lobby, and its adjacent floors, began to shatter and fall.

Both of them ran for the exit made by the giant, while using their bending to avoid being killed by shrapnel and debris.

Across the lobby, the curator seemed to collapse along with his museum. Paralyzed, he did nothing when the glass walkway fell towards him. He just looked.

What saved him was earth itself, which created life, through the glass floor, and tossed him away from the impact radius. Fallen, he looked in the direction of his savior.

Kuzou looked back at him, before leaving through the hole in the entrance, towards the desert.

Yikki decided not to waste the opportunity, got up and ran for the back exit.

The two only stopped running a kilometer later.

In the distance, all one could see of the great temple was a huge cloud of sand and smoke that covered the view of the place. The sun was about to set, giving an ethereal and sinister color to the desert.

Kuzou undid his armor and caught his breath. Yan climbed the nearest dune, ignoring exhaustion, and looked at the largest cultural site in the world. Nothing could be seen through the smoke in the distance. Not even a glow.

“I can’t believe... _unbelievable_ … The greatest source of history in the world... the place I went through half of the Earth Kingdom for. Destroyed.” lamented the nomad, desolated. His faithful backpack lay forgotten at the foot of the dune.

“And we almost had the same fate. I would say it was a lucky day,” Kuzou laughed, without any real joy.

“YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND!” yelled Yan, exasperated. “The historical value that has been lost is incalculable! This was the greatest loss humanity suffered since the disappearance of Wan Shi Tong's library!”

“The Won Se what, now?” said the earthbender, tired and confused.

“Wan Shi... ah, fuck it. It doesn't matter, anymore,” said the nomad, sliding down the dune. At the foot of it he remained seated. He took the flask he had filled at the museum, and poured some water on his face. “Forget it.”

Kuzou, tired, followed his advice. He threw himself beside him and took his own canteen to hydrate himself.

“I have yet to understand what happened. One minute, we were laughing and enjoying the fantastic museum, and the next, a girl burns my hand and the building collapses,” complained Yan, more calmly, but still inconsolable.

“I don’t understand myself. But both facts seems related. And how's your hand, by the way?” Kuzou asked, watching the sun set behind the buildings of the small town that shared the desert with the museum.

“It's okay. I put out the flame before any real damage was done. But it still has a certain sting to it.” he replied, throwing water in his hand. “And of course it's related. Everything is related. Just as I would love to know your ‘relationship’ with the fact you seem to know everything and have extrasensory skills. And _don't_ tell me that I was distracted!”

Kuzou froze in surprise. And then laughed.

“You are not as stupid as you look. But you do have to admit that you were inattentive” he joked. “And it's a long story. Don't mind that.”

“Well, as my main destination probably lies in pieces behind that ominous fog, I believe I don't have much else to do, so, please, do tell me your great story,” emphasized Yan, sulking. “And I'm not inattentive.”

“Okay. But only if you tell me what made you run away from the East Air Temple” Kuzou countered, with a wry smile.

 _Cheeky bastard, does he notice everything? Or am I sloppy? No, he is a fucking know-it-all, that's it_ , thought Yan.

“Touché,” said the nomad, annoyed. “But you are wrong. I didn't run away. I'm really in the rite of passage. It’s just... that I don't intend to go back. I like the world. I'm tired of the temple. I'm tired of the isolation.”

“I understand.”

“I doubt it. Your turn, smart guy.”

“Okay. I am so attentive because I was trained to perceive any possible threat, to a level that is almost paranoid.”

“Trained? By whom?”

Kuzou chuckled.

“Dai Li.” he said, as if he had informed someone of the weather.

Yan was so startled that he jumped up. And walked away a little, because he wasn't made of steel.

“D-Dai Li? The Dai Li? The ‘secret’ organization?” stammered the nomad. “ _That_ Dai Li?! The same as...”

Kuzou interrupted Yan with a quick movement and stood up, alert. The nomad stopped, terrified, thinking that it was with him, that he had crossed the line.

But it was not.

A shadow to the north, between them and the city, stood out. It was quickly approaching them, leaving a huge trail of sand in its wake. When the last sunlight reached the shadow, it reflected on its wrists and ankles. Kuzou recognized him.

The giant had also recognized them.


	4. Chapter 3: By The Bonfire

“I want half a dozen, please,” Yan said to the merchant. He, in turn, wrapped the loaves together with the other supplies, and handed them over. The nomad placed 10 pieces of copper on the counter and left.

And with that, 10 more pieces of copper were gone. He only had 25 of such pieces left, and a silver one. He had enough yuan to survive for a few months, if he rationed.

“Go to the city and buy some groceries. You are the fastest with your airbending,” he said. That damn secret agent just forgot to mention that it would be his money that was going to be used. In fact, Yan was sure that he had done it on purpose. That cheeky bastard. If Kuzou started without him, he was going to kill him.

In a hurry, he bent the air and ran like the wind, scaring people on the street. He accidentally hit something on the way, and for some reason he had cabbage on his clothes, but he ignored it and moved on without slowing down.

He entered the flat, solid part of the desert that bordered the city, and ran west. To think that just hours ago he was going to the opposite side, eager as never before, because he had arrived at his destination, in the greatest historical site in the world. It was still possible to see a small cloud of smoke on the other side of the city, where the temple was located.

The sky was beautiful in the desert. Entire constellations seemed within reach of an outstretched hand. The moon was full, illuminating a small desert full of secrets, with its clear light. Everything looked bluish, making the desert look like an ocean frozen in time. Yan had to admit that there were advantages in being away from industrial civilization. Everything seemed more natural, clearer. It was all beautiful.

With a great boost, Yan floated up a few meters and saw a small red light ahead, between the dunes. He landed and ran back in that direction, leaving a huge cloud of sand where he passed.

That same cloud announced the arrival of the nomad miles away to Kuzou, who gave a small smile while cooking a rabsnake he had hunted earlier in the fire. He knew the nomad would be grumpy.

“Rabsnake?” he offered, when Yan went down one of the dunes that surrounded them, thus interrupting the cursing that was about to come out. The nomad still tried to complain, but the rumble of his stomach shut him up. Upset, he sat down and took a skewer with the meat. However, after being satisfied, he wasted no time in getting started.

“If you started without me...,” he threatened.

“Start what?” Asked Kuzou, distributing the other skewers.

“Talking to them!” He said, pointing to the two people on the other side of the fire, who looked hungry.

“I obviously talked to them. You didn't expect us to stay this whole time just looking at the fire, did you?” Kuzou smiled. “Relax, I avoided the main subjects for you to hear firsthand,” he said, when he noticed the nomad start to raise his hand.

“We're right here, you know?” said the girl on the other side, aggravated. “Don't treat us like a museum exhibition.”

It was the wrong choice of words.

“Listen, lady, you don't have the right to ask for a fucking thing, ok?! You joke of a firebender!” Yan got up, pissed off.

“ _What_? Listen here, you little shit, if you want another ‘tattoo’ to match your hand, just ask!” The girl also got angry. They seemed on the verge of combat. “You little bi...”

“Oi” Interrupted the man between them. His voice matched his stature. He didn't yell, he just spoke normally, and the two stopped the fight. His voice had a strong, deep tone. “We are here as guests. Worse, we are guests who have come to redeem themselves. Therefore, I apologize for this lack of education.” He looked at the girl.

“I apologize for my behavior,” she spat, annoyed. “And thanks for the food,” she continued when she saw that he was still looking at her wanting more. That done, she sat down with her arms crossed. Yan sat down too, and turned the other cheek.

“Thank you, Rohan,” said Kuzou, holding back his laughter.

“ _I_ thank you, Mr. Kuzou and Mr. Yan, for welcoming us with such hospitality,” replied Rohan, politely. With hospitality, he meant ‘thanks for not trying to kill me’.

“Thank Yan, he prevented me from attacking you,” Kuzou commented, pointing at the sulky nomad huddled in the corner. “I still have my suspicions,” he added, grim.

Yan was beginning to regret that decision. So far, he had not received the answers he wanted. And he wasn’t expecting the firebender to come as luggage.

“Fair enough,” Rohan agreed, sympathetic. Then the Giant got up and went to the nomad. And bowed in thanks. Yan was taken aback and nodded, embarrassed.

The nomad had to admit that he never expected the Giant to be that way. Whomever saw him would never imagine that attitude. He had decided to listen to him when he approached them earlier and simply surrendered. Apologizing. Kuzou was going to attack him, but he decided to see what would come of it. Then the firebender appeared, taking the cue. In this case, it was the other way around. He wanted to take her head off, and Kuzou stopped him. “If we're going to take the initiative to ask first, then we have to do this with everyone,” he said. That bastard always had to be right.

“Yan, this is Rohan. He's from Gaoling.” The Giant bowed again, sitting this time. “Your friend over there is called Ember” The girl turned the other face. “She is from the Fire Nation capital.

Yan just nodded.

“Very well. As nice as this is, I think you owe some explanations. We are on the verge of a crisis, and are at risk of being associated with you as accomplices. So, please tell us who you are, what you are doing in this place, and what the hell happened in that museum?” Asked Kuzou, finally.

“Of course,” Rohan agreed, straightening up and putting the skewer aside, clean of meat. “Again, I apologize. It's a long story. But I promise to answer your questions out of gratitude.”

Yan spoke before Kuzou even finished asking the question.

“Are you the abomination?”

The mood suddenly got heavier around the fire. An uncomfortable silence went on until Rohan answered, after taking a deep breath. He was clearly uncomfortable.

“No”

“Anyone would say that, of course,” said Yan, still grumpy.

“Indeed, but let's suppose we believe. How did you escape from the cell, which were so clearly ‘made to discover the abomination’, twice in a row?” Inquired Kuzou, taking the lead before the nomad's ‘grumpiness’ took over again.

The Giant snorted with scorn.

“Those cells are a joke. They are used so much that they quickly deteriorate. My chains can perhaps be strong” he said, and illustrated by lifting his wrists still covered with platinum. “But the screw that holds them to the wall are still made of plain iron.”

“Are you telling me that you bent the metal of the screws and broke free?” Kuzou seemed eager for the answer.

That would be incredible. But the nomad thought it was unlikely, it seemed like a fantastic prison break story, with ridiculous flaws on the part of the jailers.

 _It's a catch,_ Yan realized suddenly _. Eartbending always requires firm and sudden movements, impossible to do with your fingers alone. Not to mention that only the best can earthbend without contact with the earth itself. Metalbending is more fluid, but twice as difficult. Every move needs to be executed with impeccable precision._ All the scrolls he had ever read came to mind, corroborating the facts. _It is literally impossible. And Kuzou knows. He gave a chance to lie with an apparent good excuse, which any nervous person would embrace as a salvation, but which would actually be his doom. It's an interrogation tactic! Damn secret agent, he's dangerous. Even the damn intonation of his voice makes it sound like it would be incredible, not impossible. Reminder: never go to Ba Sing Se, or close to the Dai Li._

“Obviously not,” said Rohan. _Good move, big guy_ , thought Yan. “I was just listing the failures of the cells. In this case, I had a piece of stone in my pocket. I bent it to break the weakest link. The rest was easy.”

“And do you happen to carry a stone always in your pocket if you are incarcerated?” Kuzou mocked.

“No, I picked it up off the floor by the museum's back gate,” he countered, and took the stone in question out of his pocket. One side was abnormally pointy, clearly intended to cause damage. “I wasn't that unconscious.” A small skewed smile appeared on his face.

 _Holy shit, I'm surrounded by monsters. I wonder if they would accept another member to the club,_ Yan laughed bitterly.

“I suppose that explains the second escape and the consequent destruction of the museum.” Kuzou said, deciding he was hungry and taking another skewer carefully assembled with parts of the rabsnake. Rohan nodded in agreement, and also took one more. He alone had put an end to half the rabsnake. “But it does not explain the initial escape, nor why you attacked us in the middle of the desert for no apparent reason.”

“Yes. Interestingly, the explanation for the two occurrences is the same. Cholera pills.”

Yan didn't understand, but Kuzou moved uncomfortably beside him. The Giant understood the silence as a sign to explain:

“They are pills that, when ingested, cause a severe case of lack of control in the user. The individual is possessed with anger, everything irritates him. Some call this state Berserk. Excessive salivation, blurred vision, headache are other symptoms of the pill.”

Ember, who hid in the shadows, looked shocked. Yan was incredulous; the pills seemed too convenient... But just looking at Kuzou made him suddenly undecided.

“But that doesn't make sense... Why would someone invent something like that? It has no use...” began to argue Yan.

Before the Giant could answer, Kuzou did:

“An angry man makes mistakes.”

A silence came over the dunes. Even the fire seemed quiet, without cracking its kindling. Yan looked at the "secret agent". He seemed to understand those pills very well. _Torture. That is the purpose of the pills_ , realized the nomad.

“It looks like a disease...” Yan began.

“Yes, the pills copy the symptoms of this disease, allowing its use with more control,” explained Rohan. Kuzou raised an eyebrow. “The skinny little guy wouldn’t shut up about the pill's uses,” he said, shrugging his shoulders in self-defense. His definition of the museum’s curator amused Kuzou.

 _More control my ass_ , thought Yan. That was awful. Imagining things like that...

“That makes sense. It would justify your assault on us. It also explains why you were knocked down with considerable ease. Once the effect is over...” Kuzou started.

“...the body collapses and you get exhausted, weak” completed Rohan.

He seemed to understand the effects well. Yan suspected that he had been forced to take several doses of the damn thing.

“And, as I said before, this is also the reason for my first escape. I'm a strong guy, and cholera, adrenaline, makes all of us stronger. After a few interrogation sessions, the links of the handcuffs couldn't take it any longer” finished the Giant, as if talking about the beauty of the flames.

In _that_ , Yan had no problem believing. The man seemed capable of squeezing someone's head with his fingers. Kuzou, the tallest of them all, barely hit his chest. His arm was the size of a log. The nomad imagined that the Giant had not just pulled the cuffs off his wrists because he wanted to illustrate his situation in the story.

Kuzou, however, seemed unconcerned.

“I see. These are good explanations. You are not the abomination. Poor Yikki, he seemed to have so much proof of that...” he mocked.

The Giant understood the cue.

“A little fight in my city with a nobody, combined with a curious explosion in the nearby well, making it rain in the street, was what led to my arrest. A beautiful coincidence, in fact, but an unlikely one too.

“It seems like a reasonable reason,” said Kuzou.

“All they want most is the abomination. They see evidence where they want to see it. They make proof if necessary,” replied Rohan. The Giant noticed he was going to be questioned and went ahead: “Do you really think that the abomination, the fearful being that escaped from the anxious hands of the Avatar for more than 15 years, would be carried away by anger? Maybe for a Cholera Pill, but never for a neighborhood fight.”

“It's not a very good argument. Also, I doubt they would do such a thing for...”

“They would.”

Everyone looked at Yan. Kuzou gave him his famous raised eyebrow. The nomad surprised himself for having spoken, and shrunk a little, but broke the silence nonetheless.

“The search for the Abomination has always been a priority for the Avatar and his acolytes. Not only for them, but for the entire population as well. The Abomination became a legend, a symbol of disorder and terror.”

“The museum curator can say anything he see fit, but the Abomination is considered the great crisis of our era, well above the return of the Equalitarians and Ba Sing Se's forced monarchy. You hear people talking on the streets. Some even say that the reason for the existence of the Avatar in this era is to face the Abomination. The people call for his capture. For his death.

“The Avatar is treated like God, but, like any religion, there are those who do not believe and scoff at that same religion. And those are the majority now. They need something to improve the level of acceptance of the Avatar. Ba Sing Se is a good one, but the Abomination would make everyone look with admiration. You saw how Yikki spoke. How far they went to capture and imprison Rohan, without even being sure. Yes, they would do that”

The silence was eerie. Everyone looked frozen, shocked.

“What? I walked through half the world on my pilgrimage, you learn all kinds of things on a trip like that” justified the nomad, in a slightly defiant tone. He didn't have that much balls to yell at them, though.

Rohan thawed first:

“The nomad speaks the truth. A visit to my city and you would see it all. In a single damn day, by the way”

Kuzou was still looking at Yan. He turned his face to the fire, the discomfort apparent.

“I see,” said the wanderer, slowly turning his face back to the Giant. “Well, everything seems plausible... I suppose you don't have anything else you'd like to share?”

“I do. I would like once again to thank you for everything. And again, ask for forgiveness” Repeated Rohan, bowing his head respectfully. Yan was still amazed at the manners and delicacies of this colossal being.

“Of course... you're welcome. Well, since we're done here...” Kuzou started.

“Hey! We're done, my ass! Did you forget the hot head there?” said the nomad, standing up, pointing vehemently at the girl huddled in the shadow of the fire.

She, in turn, went from indifferent to pissed off in a matter of seconds. It looked like she was going to chew the finger that pointed at her off, followed by third-degree burns on its chatty owner.

The wanderer closed his eyes and raised both eyebrows in exasperation. It crossed Yan's mind at that moment that perhaps Kuzou would not have forgotten. He would probably apply another sinister method of interrogation on the girl, perhaps later, when she was feeling safe. _Oops. Well, too late now. Better to be safe than sorry, right?_

Massaging his temples with his fingers, and clearly having no alternative, Kuzou asked the best question he could think of. Before he uttered it, however, the girl stood up, irritation on her face. Whatever she was going to scream, a glance from the Giant made her tremble. She decided to sit down again, frowning.

Suddenly, Kuzou had something better to ask.

“You two seem very close. What is your relationship?”

“I know her as much as you do. I was as surprised as you were when she came to explain herself,” replied Rohan. Yan noticed how he changed the word "surrender" to a more... appropriate one. “In fact, I have yet to understand how you know each other. If I may ask.”

That took them both by surprise. Ember was still frowning in the corner, as if corroborating the fact.

 _If they don't know each other, what's the damn relationship in all this?_ Thought Yan, confused. Even Kuzou, always safe, seemed to have lost his reasoning. Everyone at that moment, however, was staring at the girl.

“Even ourselves are confused about the circumstances of our meeting,” replied Kuzou, composing himself. “I think we'd all like to know what happened, don't we, Ember?” His interrogative tone was back, unchanged.

The girl, on the other hand, did not hesitate in the defiant tone.

“I was taking a simple tour through the museum. You threatened me and I defended myself, Period. ” she said, without a hint of shame.

Her interrogator tilted his head to the side, his face cut with an acid smile. Even the Giant didn't seem to believe it. Yan, however, was possessed, and stopped again the interrogation carefully administered by his partner.

“You snake! You don’t even blush at these poorly made lies?!” He shouted, still standing.

“My lies seemed good enough to deceive you in the museum!” Shouted the girl, now standing too.

“Why, you...” began the nomad.

“But they never deceived _me_. And _I_ am the one asking” Kuzou said. His tone took everyone by surprise. “So... answer me the truth, girl.”

His tone was firm and menacing at the same time. His eyes seemed to shine like a fire so hot, that even the challenge in Ember's eyes faltered. Yan swore that if Kuzou was a firebender, she would have been roasted right there. Or probably blown up by those sinister combustion bending. He found himself imagining a third eye on the wanderer's forehead.

The girl ignited again during his daydream.

“If you're that good, why don't you read my thoughts?” she challenged.

The nomad looked at his partner again. He did not doubt that the "agent" would be able to succeed. "Dai Li", was all he thought. Suddenly, he felt as if his thoughts were not safe near the wanderer.

“You're sending me to hell,” Kuzou countered, with a half-smile on his face.

The girl stopped for a moment, taken by surprise. Rohan held his laugh as best as he could in his polite way, but Ember noticed and gazed at the Giant.

“I don't have to listen to these things...” she started, when she composed herself.

“Indeed. You have to listen less and speak more. Our hosts asked you a question...” Rohan retorted.

“Hosts, my ass!” She shouted. “We are hostages, prisoners being interrogated so our ‘fate’ is decided! This is ridiculous!”

“And that's what we came here for, no? To explain a serious misunderstanding,” said the Giant, without changing his voice.

“I DIDN’T!” exploded the girl. The bonfire exploded along, reaching two meters in height, lighting up the night and turning the blue sea around it back to yellow. Yan walked away involuntarily. As if nothing had happened, she turned and left, irritated, without looking back.

An uncomfortable silence followed among the rest after she disappeared behind one of the dunes. The flames, in her absence, seemed to wither, until it was almost extinguished. The light was just enough to illuminate the feet of the people around it.

The Giant stood up, determined.

“Gentlemen, I apologize for all this,” he said, bowing again. “I brought you this problem; therefore I promise to solve it. I'm going after her. If you'll excuse me.” And withdrew, climbing the dune as if going up a ramp.

Yan was amazed at sequence of events. And annoyed that he didn't get an explanation from the hot head. He hoped the Giant would drag her back screaming. But he seemed too much of a gentleman for that. He looked at his partner, expecting a reaction similar to his, but he could not be more wrong.

Kuzou was smiled, a slightly sinister victorious smile.

The nomad felt a chill run down his spine. He realized why the smile.

_An angry man makes mistakes._

Yan decided he needed to take a walk, to get some firewood, or something.

When he returned from his walk, Rohan and Ember were already around the fire again, which was much more alive than when he had left. Kuzou was mid chat with the Giant, while the hot head continued to frown in the same corner as before, only now she was lying against the dune, over a mantle. Yan slid down the dune and joined them. He managed to catch a small angry look from the girl when he arrived. Rohan was as polite as ever, and Kuzou remained indifferent. Soon, they returned to the conversation, as he sat by the fire.

“Is it fine by you?” Asked the Giant.

“You told me the whole story, so it’s fine by me. I do have my own plans, as well” said Kuzou. Then he looked at the nomad. “If your friend over there wants to accompany you, though, I'm afraid she'll have to settle some things with my buddy here.” Ember shifted uncomfortably in the corner, but remained quiet.

“Fair enough,” he agreed, looking at her. “I wouldn't mind escorting the girl, but if she doesn't solve this problem, I'm afraid I’ll have to go alone.”

“Well, she has until tomorrow at noon. Then we leave. Now, let's rest and cool our heads,” suggested Kuzou, raising and extinguishing the fire. Darkness fell over the dunes. Little was visible.

He heard the Giant lying ahead and Kuzou by his side. He took a cloak from his nearby bag and stretched it out on the dune. The mantle was not big enough, so only his torso and head were free of sand. Rather sand in the boots than in the ear.

“Did you talk a lot in my absence?” Whispered Yan to the wanderer beside him. The other two were close, but he was sure they wouldn't be able to hear them whispering.

“Just resolving the departure terms, nothing else. You heard the conclusion” murmured Kuzou in response, even lower than the nomad's whisper.

Turning on his back, the stars made a ceiling for him.

“Do you think she'll talk?” He asked, without moving.

“I believe so. If not, Rohan insistence will be enough,” said Kuzou. Yan couldn't see it, but he bet he was smiling.

“Yeah, I saw her fear. I don't blame her, if a guy like that turned to me with an ugly face, I would even tweet if necessary,” laughed the nomad, maybe a little too loud.

Despite the joke, he was telling the truth. He had no illusions that he could beat the Giant in battle. He had been lucky once. Both had. And they were still at the mercy of that colossal man's “honor”. If he decided to make a surprise attack...

“I wouldn't say fear,” said Kuzou, interrupting his thoughts.

“Sure. Use "respect" if you prefer. Or any other fancy word you like,” Yan joked.

“Yeah, you could say it was a kind of "respect” interrupted the shadow he talked with. “One that borders on... admiration. There, another ‘fancy word’ for you” he laughed.

The nomad was not amused. That “joke” from the wanderer had a subliminal message that made him uneasy. He was trying to understand the exact meaning of those words while trying to enjoy the stars. Such a beautiful sight, millions of bright spots illuminating the world. He felt sorry for the spirits who lost the right to have that wonderful vision. That soothing view.

Yan could already hear the faint sounds of those who slept. Sometimes even snoring. That must have been hot head. He had fun imagining her with a pig's nose.

Sleep then began to come, little by little, and with it, daydreams. He stopped caring about the problems surrounding him. They would be resolved the next day. Everything was fine.

At least until the next day.


	5. Chapter 4: Wanted

The sky was dotted with stars, and the moon shone its light on the city, free of the clouds that could hinder it. Dawn had already settled in the vicinity, and the residents were already in their beds.

Except for Ming. Ming was dragging a bag of what was left of his goods. He had spent hours collecting the remains that had spread around the city after the typhoon that had passed through the street. At least, he thought it was a typhoon. It looked like one. But he could have sworn he heard the typhoon say "shit" when it hit his cart.

Ming should have heard his father. He should have chosen another profession. The family business looked indeed cursed. But he did not believe it, and decided to follow the example of determination of his grandfather, and of his great-grandfather before him, and of his great-great-grandfather before him. Now it was too late to give up his… _precious ones_.

What could he do? Cabbages were so beautiful. So round. So sweet...

Ming heard a loud crash at the end of the street. Without thinking twice, he ran with his bag of cabbages into a nearby dark alley. He crouched against the wall, hidden in the shadows, holding his _precious ones_ against his chest.

A long silence followed, a horrible silence. When Ming finally managed to stop shaking, he heard footsteps. Then muffled voices. It looked like two men.

“...complain, you’re not the one who will have to wake him up...” It was the first thing he could hear clearly. The voice he heard seemed to be thin, young, and scared.

“I’ll complain as much as see fit. Moreover, if I'm not going in person, it's because I have more important things to do than to wake up a damn mercenary.” the second voice seemed much more imperious, and was clearly irritated. The footsteps stopped suddenly. “And don't think I like it any more than you do. Had Buma not gone with the Avatar to Ba Sing Se... As if _the_ Avatar needed a bodyguard! He should have stayed here, where he would actually be useful...”

The footsteps started again. Ever closer.

Soon, two shadows appeared walking parallel to the corner of the alley. Ming froze. One of the shadows was reasonably larger and wider than the other, which was barely visible in contrast. Suddenly, the smaller shadow stopped, interrupting the other who had started to speak.

A jet of water threw Ming to the floor. Desperate, he ran to his bag, and hugged it.

“Please! Do whatever you please with me, but don't hurt my cabbages!” He whined, looking up. Standing before him, was the smaller shadow, which now showed itself as a short, skinny man, with hair cut very close. His face showed an expression of disgust.

"Nothing of importance..." he muttered, and the imperious, irritated voice came from his mouth. Ming recognized him. The larger shadow came into view, and then became a medium-sized young man, wearing a distinct uniform.

They both turned and continued their conversation as if nothing had happened. Ming waited until he no longer heard their footsteps or voices, returned to the street and ran to the opposite side of where they headed.

Whatever had happened, it wasn't any of his business. He didn't care whatever the hell the museum curator and his assistant were doing in those parts so late at night. He just wanted to go home to take care of his cabbages.

Halfway through his way, however, he saw a poster lit by a dim tavern lantern, and suddenly became interested. He was startled by the accusations of those people on the paper. Then he recognized one of those drawings. One of those criminals.

It really wasn't a typhoon that had destroyed his cart.

Yan dreamed of a lying salesman, who was choking to death on a broken vase, when he was awakened by a shake from Kuzou.

“What... eh... it wasn't me...” said the nomad, still groggy.

“I bet it was. Anyway, wake up” demanded the earthbender, poking him with the tip of his foot.

The sun almost blinded him when he opened his eyes. Of course, he had chosen the exact spot between the dunes that the sun would illuminate first. The others were all still asleep, in the shadows. It must have been nine o'clock. Or so close to it that it didn't matter.

“Shit,” Yan muttered, rubbing his eyes as he sat down. “What is it?”

“Keep an eye on our guests,” said Kuzou. He took the flask around his waist and took a long drink. Then he tossed it in his direction, who accepted without hesitation. His throat was dry.

“Where are you going?” He asked after finishing drinking.

“I'm going to the city. I'll fill up some missing supplies and fill our canteens,” he said, taking the flask back. “Regardless of where each of us goes from here, it can take a while until the next city or town appears.” And started to climb the nearest dune.

It was only after he left that Yan realized that he would have to watch all by himself a crazy arsonist and an educated two-and-a-half-meter tall caveman. _Agent, you little son of a ...._

He got up, grumpy, and got the sand off his clothes. What was he expected to do if they decided to flee? Poke the Giant's leg to death? He was a scholar, not an accomplished fighter. He knew some tricks, yeah, but wasn't a real fighter. He was a fucking monk, for Gyatso’s sake! He was a pacifist...

A small peek at the girl took away all his pacifism. On the contrary, various evil thoughts began to boil in his mind. He could bend the air very lightly and she would wake up buried in sand. Nobody would mind... except her, of course.

The Giant shifted in his sleep. Yan stopped midway through the prank, in a pathetic position. If he woke up and caught him...

When Rohan finally woke up, the nomad was sitting at the foot of the dune, reading.

“Good morning, master Yan.” _Master of the cowards, perhaps_ , thought the nomad, sulking, lowering the book. It seemed that the colossus was getting more polite every day. “Where's Master Kuzou?” He asked, stretching.

“In the city, buying some groceries and filling everyone's canteen.”

“How nice of him. We are very grateful.” _You, I'm sure, sir gentleman. Her, though…_

Rohan seemed to read his thoughts. Or the direction of his eyes. Or his expression.

“She does, as well...” he began.

“He may stick his kindness in the nomad's ass for all I care,” said Ember, without moving a muscle.

_Was she awake this whole time?!_

The Giant was getting ready to scold her, but, before he could, a strong gale blew the firebender against the dune, upside down. She rolled down to where she was lying before. When she lifted her head off the ground, mouth full of sand, her eyes looked literally on fire. Rohan seemed to have lost his tongue. Yan felt so much better.

“I anm... gon to... KILU!!!” Ember tried to speak, spitting sand.

“Pardon? I can’t hear you,” he teased. “Maybe without all that shit in your mouth...”

The girl jumped up, and from her hands, menacing flames were born. Yan tossed the book aside and stood up. Rohan seemed to want to say something. _To hell with chivalry,_ thought the nomad. He didn't even know what pacifism meant anymore.

However, the Giant did not want to speak. With a fist to the ground, a huge rock wall appeared between the two combatants, before either of them was able to attack. None of them dared to move after that.

“Heavens. How unnecessary. Five minutes without supervision and you are off to barbarism. I'm surprised that none of you tried to kill each other in your sleep,” said Rohan, standing up. _Just because I risked waking you up,_ thought Yan.

With the Giant's threat on them, the two calmed down. Ember spat, and went back to his corner. The nomad remained standing, but more relaxed. The wall then disappeared, returning to the ground.

“Unbelievable...” growled Rohan, turning away as he crouched down to pack his things. If you can call pieces of rag "things".

But he stopped when the ground shook.

 _Oh, fuck, not again ..._ thought Yan, looking at the Giant, startled. However, he was standing still, listening. The nomad noticed then that the tremor seemed to come from behind him...

A cloud of sand fell over the three of them as the quake stopped, and then someone was in the middle of them.

“We’re leaving, now!” Shouted that someone, and Yan recognized Kuzou there, taking his things, and covering what was left of the extinguished bonfire.

“What the fuck...” began to grumble Ember, rubbing the sand from her eyes.

“Rohan, take Ember, we are bending our way out of here,” he shouted.

“What? No! I know how to handle mysel...” The Giant did not hesitate, and threw her over his shoulders with one arm, as if she were a rag doll. She didn't even have time to scream.

Yan not wanting to be left behind, took pieces of wood from his backpack and mounted his glider. Kuzou bent the earth around his feet to gain great momentum and speed; Rohan did the same. Yan, then, took off.

In less than a minute, they were already far from the dunes that once sheltered them. They skirted the city, making use of the hard soil to facilitate the work of the earthbenders. From the air, one could see that the city was busy. Too busy.

“What's going on, Kuzou?” Asked the Giant, leaving the polite prefixes aside. In response, he simply pointed to the city.

Yan looked in that direction again, this time paying more attention. He realized that a run was taking place through the streets... and it was flowing towards them, approaching. The shouting soon reached his ears. They were irritated.

“Holy shit... It's the citizens!” He exclaimed. “What the fuck is going on?!”

Without answering, Kuzou approached the city. He turned on his side, skidding on the ground as if skating on ice, and began to create huge earth walls on every street that appeared, thus covering the previously free passages between the streets and the desert. With each stroke from the earthbender, a wall followed, which ascended so quickly that it appeared to be made of paper. The wanderer did all of that, bypassing the city, without losing a tenth of the speed he had previously accrued.

Yan whistled in awe.

However, the city had its fair share of earthbenders, and the walls did not last long. At least they were delayed, thus allowing them to create distance between the citizens.

The nomad then saw a small prairie just under a kilometer ahead. And he could have sworn he was able to see trees on the horizon. The desert was nearing its end.

Kuzou noticed it as well, and wasted no time. With a strong movement, it made a single huge wall grow, covering all the streets until the lawn. Then he returned, “skating”, to the group.

Nevertheless, four people jumped over the wall, meters ahead. The Giant recognized them.

“Guards!” He shouted. The girl on his shoulders kicked and screamed.

As one of the four guards moved, a wall appeared in front of them. Rohan didn't even blink. He went through stone as if it were mere paper, with pure brute force, while protecting Ember from the resulting debris.

Yan did not have time to admire the demolition, as soon after, a guard began to aim small stone projectiles at him. He used all the evasive maneuvers he knew, but still, some rocks hit him. He was sure his leg would be sore the next day.

Luckily, he didn't have to put up with it much more. Kuzou came forward, determined, and Rohan followed him.

The guards didn't stand a chance. The Giant buried an unfortunate man in the ground, and, with just one arm, knocked out another. What the educated troglodyte had in strength, Kuzou had in skill. He unbalanced the other guards with a simple ground movement, and knocked them over with a single boulder.

Suddenly, more stones began to rain on them, and some fireballs as well. Yan looked and noticed that the citizens and more guards were approaching, fast. The walls were being torn down all around them. The whole damn city seemed to be after them. The nomad shouted a warning from above them.

Down on the ground, both earthbenders turned. The two seemed to understand each other. Kuzou moved forward, while Rohan gently placed Ember on her feet. Ignoring the girl's screams, the Giant joined the wanderer, and together they started to work. They buried their hands deep in the ground and waited. Yan could have sworn he saw the earth tremble. Then, with a synchronized movement, they both lifted the earth, forming a wave on the ground capable of swallowing a 4-story building. So big, in fact, it almost hit the nomad.

The wave knocked down dozens of people on its path of destruction. The smart ones went back to the city streets. Only a few were skilled enough to dodge it.

“Yan! Cloud of sand! NOW!” Exclaimed Kuzou, below, while making another smaller wave to catch the unsuspecting.

The nomad wasted no time. He declined towards the ground, describing a huge circle around the group, bending the air to lift the sand around them. Then he landed hard, and his winds created a small sandstorm that traveled in every direction.

“Run to the trees!” Kuzou ordered, using earthbending for impulse. Rohan caught Ember so fast that the girl didn't even have time to turn around. Yan went back to the skyes. _A flying bison would come in handy right now!_ He thought. At Kuzou orders, the nomad continued creating small sandstorms to cover them.

Minutes later, they were under the trees. However, they didn't stop, they just started running normally through the humble forest.

“We can't stop here, we're not safe. The clouds of sand may have covered us for our immediate pursuers, but for anyone looking from the north of the city, it created a trail here,” replied Kuzou, without anyone asking. At least, not verbally. “If I'm not mistaken, there is a small valley half a kilometer to the west. Otherwise, we will have to run a lot.”

Nobody argued against it.

Luckily, he was not mistaken, and they soon reached the valley. They went down to the edge of the narrow river, and allowed themselves to catch their breath. Yan went to patrol the sky, to make sure they were safe, while the others hydrated themselves.

“Are we lucky?” Asked Kuzou when the nomad returned.

Only then did Yan realize how hurt he was. His clothes were full of tears and stains... _Is that a tomato stain?_ , He was startled. The wanderer seemed nonchalant about it.

“I think so,” he replied, turning his face to the other two who were filling the canteens in the river. They looked tired, but intact. Ember was quiet, for once. “The only thing I saw was some remnants of the clouds of smoke that we left behind. I didn't dare to fly higher.”

“Smart. They are definitely coming. Rohan and I made an artificial cave in the valley wall while you were watching. Come.”

Yan went after him, followed closely by the others on the river.

“Isn't a massive stone wall going to look a little obvious in contrast against the valley’s vegetation?” Asked the nomad, wondering what kind of cave they had made.

“Perhaps. So we took some precautions” said Kuzou, and pointed ahead.

It was then that Yan noticed the ground in front of him. A large, ugly black scar stretched across the valley. Smoke was still coming out of the sterile soil.

“Heavens! What happened here? A battle?” Exclaimed the nomad, horrified.

“Yes. Ember versus nature. You should have seen it. I've never seen such formidable bush!” Rohan joked.

The girl, who was once smiling with pride, made her characteristic frown, but remained quiet. _Well, this is definitely a breakthrough for her,_ laughed Yan, in his mind.

“That's the idea. To let it look like it was an internal fight. Therefore, they will follow the trail of destruction, which we made a point of extending into the forest. And, of course...” started Kuzou. With a firm movement of the arm, a part of the once black floor opened, revealing a cubicle large enough for four people to sit side-by-side “...hides the entrance to the shelter.”

 _He thinks about everything._ As soon as that thought was over, Kuzou rushed everyone inside. Rohan stayed last, taking a small look around for safety, before going down and closing the entrance. Instead of the total darkness that the nomad expected, several circles of light descended from the ceiling from small holes. _Everything, indeed. I'm glad we're on the same side._

“We will have to stay here until nightfall, when we will use darkness to our advantage,” explained Kuzou, already seated against the wall. “Then, we will go to northeast.”

_Northeast?_

“Until nightfall?! It's barely noon yet!” Ember was exasperated. Her voice echoed so loudly inside the cave that everyone winced in pain.

_Doesn’t Northeast lead to..._

“... the Si Wong desert?” Yan called, interrupting Kuzou's response.

He, in turn, agreed. Everyone stayed quiet. The apprehension was apparent.

“Nobody expects four dying wanted people, without supplies and injured, to head to a murderous desert. We’ll go over there, and then we'll break north. It's our best bet” he explained.

Everyone seemed to accept that. The silence fell.

 _Our best bet... our... the four of us? Does he intend to... take everyone with him?!._ The nomad put that thought into words. The wanderer nodded.

“We’re going to stay together,” he said at last.

“But why? Each of us has our own plans and paths to follow, not to mention that separating would be the best option...” argued Yan.

“Splitting up would make us more fragile. Easy targets.” countered Kuzou. The nomad was still confused. It didn't make sense.

“This is ridiculous! The only one wanted here is Rohan! We can separate at will while he disappears under the hood. Those idiots in the city failed to catch our faces. They have no...” This time, Ember spoke. For the first time, she and the nomad agreed with each other.

Kuzou interrupted her.

“They don't need to catch our faces,” His voice was grim. “They already have them.”

For a moment, the only sounds heard were the rustle of leaves and the noise of the river. Then, the girl began to spit out incomplete questions in her desperate confusion. Rohan sat cross-legged, quiet, but his face was shocked.

Yan decided to ask:

“Kuzou... what the hell happened when you went to town?”

Ember finally stopped talking. Kuzou took a deep breath before answering:

“I didn't even manage to fill our canteens. Let alone buy something,” When he started to speak, even the river seemed to shut up to hear. “When I lay against a building to take the sand out of my shoes, near the city center, a salesman seemed to notice something behind him.”

“All of the sudden, he was shouting at the guards and pointing at me. Soon, the whole damn street looked at me and went hostile. It didn't take long for them to start attacking me. When the first fruit hit me, I started to run.”

 _That explains the stains,_ thought Yan.

“Had it stopped there, fine, but then soon enough stones and flames came towards me as well. It was a narrow escape.”

“But... why...” Ember tried, clearly surprised.

“Because they have ‘wanted’ posters all over the city, with all of our faces printed on it.” Everyone's face showed amazement, disbelief. “We are accused of aiding in the Abomination’s escape, and helping to cover its tracks. We are accomplices of the Abomination.”

“B-but ho-how...” stammered Yan.

“I don't know how they knew about all of us, either” replied Kuzou, anticipating the rest of the question. “But they do. I saw the poster. There’s even a reward. A generous one, by the way” he joked, without any real joy.

Rohan then came out of his sepulchral silence.

“Alive... or dead?”

Again, silence. None of them was sure they wanted to hear the answer.

“The only one that _must_ be brought alive... is the Abomination itself.”

The three of them absorbed that information. Nobody pretended not to understand the meaning of those words.

“Therefore, we cannot split up. We are stuck in this, together” finished Kuzou ominous.

“It's all a big misunderstanding... Perhaps we can surrender and explain ourselves...” Ember tried.

“You know it’s not possible. If everything Yan said about them is true...”

“It is,” cut off the nomad. “There’s no way. At the best of cases, they’ll trap us forever in some horrible dungeon. Probably in some Fire Nation prison.” The girl seemed to tremble after she heard that. She must know well the fame of the prisons in her homeland. “That at the best case scenario. However, the Abomination...”

“...will be publicly executed,” completed Rohan. His eyes were lifeless. “Perhaps worse.”

They went silent for a long time. Ember, for the first time, looked shaken. Yan could have sworn he saw a small tear fall through her cheek before she lay on the floor, hiding her face. Rohan looked outraged, but resolute. Kuzou looked sad, for everything and everyone.

“But... where are we going now? What will we do? They will never leave us alone” sentenced the nomad, hopeless.

Those words seemed to sink even more the mood of those present. Nobody knew what to do. No one had really thought about the future. They were accused of accompanying the most hated being in the world; they would have no help from any human being in the four nations. Not even the air monks would shelter them. It was only a matter of time before they were caught and, potentially, killed. Like animals.

Despite all the sadness inside the cave, Kuzou gave a wry smile, looking directly at him. It was the first time he smiled that damn day.

“Ah, dear nomad... Have you forgotten what I once was?” He said, increasing his smile. It was not a cheerful one.

No, Yan would never be able to forget.

_Dai Li_.


	6. Chapter 5: Into The Night

It didn't take long for them to show up.

Yan could feel the dozens of feet before they even reached the valley. The noise of the crowd vibrated through the walls of the cave. The four inside had never been so quiet in their lives. The two earthbenders were stiff, alert, prepared to attack if necessary. Ember had decided to sit still, frozen in place. It seemed the only way not to make a noise.

Soon, feet covered some of the holes in the entrance. The noise was deafening. Yan decided to cover his ears, in a futile attempt to muffle the sounds. Kuzou gently placed his hand on the solid ground, ready to create a boulder from soil at the slightest sign of danger.

It was possible to catch random comments from some of the pursuers, such as:

“Where did they go?”

“What the fuck happened here?”

“...nothing; let’s flay them!”

“...fresh burn...”

“Damn hooligans...”

“Out of the way!”

“The reward is mine...”

“Show up, Abomination!”

“Fight!”

“...to the woods! Let’s go...”

The nomad just wanted them to shut up and leave, but Kuzou devoured each new piece of information thrown in the wind, as if he were hungry. His eyes danced in the direction of each new sound, like a crazy man.

The bulk of the crowd did not stay long in the valley, and they soon followed their different paths, each going in the direction they thought was the right one. A few, mostly guards, stayed for an hour in the valley before following the smoking scar through the forest. Even hours after everyone left, Kuzou kept them silent for safety. It was not difficult; nobody seemed to want to speak.

After an eternity filled with infinite horrible thoughts, the night came.

They still waited until the last bit of light disappeared, and the first sound of the night fauna, before finally relaxing. Then, after having received confirmation from the wanderer that it was safe, the Giant opened the passage. He looked around to make sure, jumped out and helped the others out.

Yan almost cried when he felt the grass between his fingers. He lay down and rubbed himself against the fertile soil. When satisfied, he crawled to the river and sunk his face into the light current. He made sure to make several bubbles. Rohan sat with his legs crossed, as if meditating, while Ember collapsed on the floor, eyes closed, cursing heaven and earth. The tireless Kuzou went immediately to investigate the surroundings, inspecting every suspicious dent in the grass. The nine agonizing hours in that cubicle seemed to have traumatized everyone but him.

“Are we in the clear?” Asked the nomad when the former agent returned from the survey, about half an hour later. He had not yet left the river, but was facing upwards, with his head sunken up to his ears, letting the water massage his hair.

The wanderer, instead of answering, took off his shirt and threw himself into the river, splashing water around him. Yan turned his face to protect himself from the drops, instinctively. The spatter reached Rohan, sitting nearby.

“Apparently, yes” Kuzou released, when his head emerged out of the water. He brushed his hair out of his eyes and continued: “Ah! I was in need of that.”

“You have every right to rest. You did a lot today. You saved us,” said the Giant, approaching. Ember followed, running, and did not hesitate to jump into the river. More water flew out of the stream. Rohan simply sat on the edge and bathed his feet. “I don't know how to thank you.”

“How about a mug written ‘Awesome dude’?” the girl joked, with a huge smile.

She seemed genuinely happy for the first time since they’ve met. Her short black hair barely disturbed her vision, even if it was wet and stuck to her face. She looked like a child, happy, with no worries about tomorrow. Everyone smiled along with her.

Tomorrow, however, was inevitable.

“So, what now?” Yan asked when the relaxing silence that followed became uneasy. “What's our end goal? What is our plan?”

“I know someone who can make us disappear,” commented Kuzou casually, as he floated.

“Disappear? How?” Asked Ember, with none of the joy from before.

“In the best possible way. Fake documents, disguises, relocation. The full service” explained. “He's extremely efficient, and... reliable.”

The firebender was going to retort, but the Giant cut her off.

“Would this swindler, by any chance, be a member of the Zhang tribe?” He hissed sourly.

Kuzou let the body sink and stared at the big man, surprised. And apprehensive. He nodded in agreement, without looking away.

“I see,” Rohan continued. “This may sound impolite, but as we are going to travel together from now on, some secrets need to surface to make our coexistence bearable. You mentioned something, just before our pursuers showed up. Something about what you once were. I suppose this also has to do with this ‘someone’ who can help us?”

The atmosphere was suddenly tense. Yan sat down, maybe too quickly. His hair fell on his shoulders with a wet sound. The word "shit" was going repeatedly through his mind.

“Fair enough,” said the wanderer, slowly leaving the stream. “There's no need to hide it, since I already told the nomad about it.” Everyone looked at him. _Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit,shit,shit,shitshitshitshit..._ “But... based on the fact that we know the same ‘swindler’, and the various clues I ‘gave’ today... I believe you already know what I once was.”

This time, the Giant confirmed it.

“What the fuck is going on here?” Complained Ember, confused.

Nobody answered her.

“We leave in 10 minutes. Pack your things” finished Kuzou, going towards his belongings at the entrance to the cave.

Yan, feeling strange looks in his direction, hurried and followed him.

“What the... are you mad?! What were you thinking when you decided to open the game like that?” he was exasperated, close to his friend.

“Well, I opened up before with you, didn't I?” Said the wanderer. Before the nomad replied, he continued, serious: “And it's not like I actually said anything. The big guy over there is smart, he already suspected something. I just confirmed it.”

A big exclamation of surprise came from behind them. Yan looked in time to see the girl splashing liters of water in her outrage. Kuzou didn't even bother to turn around.

_Shitshitshitshitshit..._

“This is not going to work out. Are you going to tell me that this is another one of your interrogation tactics?” He spat, sarcastic. Then he saw a smile in response.

_Holy shit, it might as well be._

_Shit, shit, shit…_

They left promptly ten minutes later, following the plan.

They walked normally to not get hurt in the darkness of the forest. When a flame was suggested, it was soon discarded.

“A fire draws too much attention in this pitch-black. The Avatar would be able to see us all the way from Ba Sing Se. Our eyes are already accustomed to the darkness, let's take advantage of that.”

Therefore, they continued to wander the forest, slowly. With eyes accustomed or not, from time to time Yan still tripped over branches or roots of random trees. When that happened, “shit” echoed through the night. No one bothered to censor him.

Bored, sometimes the nomad would take his glider and float high above the trees to watch his surroundings. However, he gave up after the third time he went up and was unable to see anything but the lights of the damn city he fled from; everything else was hidden behind the black veil that covered the entire horizon.

“Anything of interest?” Asked Kuzou, when he landed beside him.

“Same as always. The city is calm and the rest is invisible,” he complained.

“Hm,” agreed his partner, nodding his head. “Don't let your guard down. The populace may have already calmed down and returned to their comfortable cotton beds, but there are certainly patrols around the forest.”

“They would be using torches or flashlights, wouldn't they?”

“I never said it was just simple guards on patrol.”

Yan swallowed his saliva.

“But then... whom?” He asked.

“I'm sure that ‘museum’ has some kind of specialist, or specialists, for cases like this. It had a prison, after all...” And left the rest in the air.

“Mercenaries?” guessed the nomad, fearful.

“Perhaps,” confessed Kuzou. “But, anyway, neither would enter the forest without a source of light. The risk of accidents is too great. Not mentioning that the most inexperienced would get lost. For this reason, they are probably circling all the exits of the forest, but with no light to avoid being seen.”

“Shouldn't we be together though, just in case?” Yan argued, looking back.

He could make out Rohan's giant silhouette a few meters back. A small scratch in the pitch beside him denounced Ember. The two had been away from them since they left the valley. The airbender could have sworn he felt his back on fire after so many stares in his direction.

“Usually, yes. But in this case, in the unlikely event that a mercenary enters the forest and finds us, it would be impossible for him to topple either of the two groups without making a huge mess. Even more so if that unfortunate person catches the group of the hot head and the Giant” laughed Kuzou. “If, by some miracle, the mercenary drops a group, the other would have the advantage of taking him by surprise.” _Heavens, did he foresee tomorrow’s damn weather as well?_

“Do you know everything?” Whispered the nomad, half hoping he wouldn't hear it.

“Of course not.” Of course, he had heard. “These are all mere assumptions. Right now, someone might be stabbing Rohan in the back, and I wouldn't know.” Yan looked back nervously, looking for the silhouettes. They remained unchanged. “The only certainty of life is death. All I do is use logic to assume the actions of my enemies.” _He is on my side, he is on my side, heisonmyfuckingside._ “We learned that on the first day of school at Dai Li Academy” he joked.

Not amused, the airbender decided to change the subject.

“It's kind of uncomfortable... them, back there.”

“Their confidence has been shaken. It’s natural,” replied Kuzou.

“Still. Seems unfair. We gave them our vote of confidence. Heavens, you saved them! How can they just...” he said.

“Calm down, Yan. They are just afraid and nervous. So are we. They just need to talk. Soon they’ll join us” reassured the earthbender.

“I doubt it, especially Ember. How can you be so sure?” Asked the nomad.

“Because the forest ends here,” he scoffed in response, as he stopped beside a tree.

“What? So quickly?” Yan asked, looking ahead. Indeed, the trees were thinning fifteen meters ahead, followed by an unhindered darkness. “This forest can't be this small.”

“And it isn’t. It still goes to the west. But our path is different.” he said, and waited for the others.

“Why did we stop?” complained the girl, when they approached them.

Kuzou explained.

“I understand. But wouldn't it be safer for us to continue enjoying the shelter of the trees as much as possible?” Retorted the Giant. “The forest continues for another three kilometers to the north.”

“It wouldn't be smart. If we follow the forest to the north until the end, we will face Omashu. It is the worst place we could go at the moment, apart from the city we just left behind.”

“Now, add the fact that they know we have escaped through the forest. If we go another two hundred meters in that direction, I'm sure we will come across the first patrols. The second largest city in the Earth Kingdom will certainly be waiting for us with a warm welcome.”

The sounds of the forest took over the night. None of them wanted to interrupt that quiet night tune.

“From now on, we have to bet on speed” Kuzou continued, finally breaking the silence. “Let's create distance tonight”.

Then they left, at full speed. The earthbenders shaping the soil to propel them, and the nomad flying among the clouds.

They crossed the great plain at night, without rest. Lights sometimes appeared on the horizon, signaling villages and clusters of people, but they ignored them all. They went around hills and small mountains, forcing every muscle, exhausting every bit of energy.

Soon enough, tiredness overcame pride, and the firebender was thrown over Rohan's broad shoulders again. Yan couldn't complain about his position, but sleep crushed his eyelids. And he was not the only one. Their progress slowed with each new meter expired.

They only stopped when the horizon started to brighten.


	7. Chapter 6: Business

It was three days in a row at the same pace, until it was possible to see the great desert on the magenta horizon. The heat, however, was already upon them.

The four of them rested on the bed of a tiny stream, with a “waterfall” so small that it barely hit Yan's waist. Still, no one complained. It was the only source of water they had found since the scarred valley.

However, as soon as they arrived, they went on.

From there, they cut north through the arid lands, with the murderous Si Wong desert always on the right, haunting them. The scorching sun chased them, burning every bit of skin that escaped the cover of the makeshift robes. Yan swallowed a curse every time the sun caught on a previously burned part from the Small Desert.

Nevertheless, the Giant suffered the most. Not even his naturally coppery skin could withstand the constant exposure brought about by the lack of a mantle that could account for his colossal size.

The proximity of the desert did not bring only the scorching sun; the terribly cold nights came along. Kuzou did not allow bonfires, for obvious reasons, adding the fact they were in the middle of some terribly flat lands, without cover or shelter; it would be possible to see the firelight against the darkness of the night all the way from Republic City. Therefore, everyone huddled in their robes and stayed close to each other to sleep.

After four more days of painful traveling, they finally arrived in the Great Divide.

“I'm… dead...”

Yan collapsed against the hard, cracked soil, as if lying on the world's softest featherbed. He didn’t even complain about the knee that grated with this irresponsible fall. All the others allowed themselves to rest, but in a less painful way.

"Let's camp here for today," Kuzou breathed. He didn't take long to pick up his canteen.

“By Gyatso! Can we?!” Exclaimed the nomad, still on the floor.

They had not been allowed to camp anywhere since they became fugitives. Whenever they rested somewhere, no more than an hour later they were already adding new calluses to their feet. Sleeping had been an almost impossible task. Everyone understood the reasons, but understanding did not make things any less arduous.

For two hours, they were motionless, some resting, some dozing.

Yan woke up at the end of those two hours. Still sleepy, he realized that his back hurt a lot, and his skin felt stuck to the floor.

 _Congratulations, smart-ass. You failed to think before acting and in the end it went to shit, again. Moron,_ he cursed himself.

As his vision came into focus, he realized that from one of the cracks next to his face, a huge dragon-centipede was emerging. In a single reflex of disgust and fright, he got to his feet in seconds, lost his balance and fell backwards. Then, a laugh echoed over the camp.

“Did you see a spirit, buddy? Relax, most of them are not hostile” Kuzou joked, nearby, leaning against a rock. “At least they didn’t use to be.”

The nomad got up, and the pain came back. Limping, he went to the wanderer. He put some papers and parchments aside when saw him approaching.

“You didn’t rest, did you?” said the nomad, sitting in front of him.

“I’m sitting. I'm resting,” he said, looking back at the papers.

“Resting does not just imply the physical part. What the hell are you even doing, anyway?”

“Basic stuff. Reading some maps, making lists…”

“Lists? What, like shopping lists?” Yan teased.

“You can say so. Our supplies are thinning, we are reasonably wounded and out of medicine... and it would be nice to have an actual camp,” he joked, ironic.

Indeed, their "camp" was nothing more than the place they decided to rest. They had no tents, no sleeping bags, nor anything that could make their stay more comfortable. The stone on which Kuzou was leaned against was as close to comfort as there was.

“The Zhang tribe is our best opportunity for supplies. As an isolated, wild tribe, news does not usually arrive there quickly. We’ll just pay the ‘good graces’ offering and we will be treated like any other traveler” he continued.

The nomad was too tired to understand everything he had said, so he just shook his head in response.

“Any cool place on the map worth a visit?” started a conversation.

“The Zhang tribe a few kilometers to the northwest, the Great Divide four hundred meters behind you, some trees five hundred meters to the west...”

_Trees..._

“... we also went by Full-Moon Bay to the southeast... Yeah, nothing interesting for a visit” finished the wanderer.

Yan looked up at the blue sky, covering his eyes against the bright sunlight.

_..._

He looked around, and all he saw was dry land in every direction. The Great Divide occupied the entire eastern horizon, a giant hole full of lumps and wild animals.

_Trees..._

“Did you mention something about trees?” Asked the nomad, gradually losing sleepiness.

“Yes. A small forest. It was where the Zhang and Gan Jin tribes once lived...’

“Yes, I know. The Divided Forest. It is now just Zhang territory after the other tribe left for civilization, and blah, blah, blah. But, if the forest is that close, why did we camp here, under the scorching sun?” He was exasperated.

“Could any of you stand to walk another five hundred meters?” Asked Kuzou, with a smile on his face.

_Son of a..._

“We gained great distance in these days of travel. We can afford a break. We all deserve it.”

“I wouldn't say everyone...” Yan spat. “So far, we know nothing about that thing over there.” He pointed at Ember, who was far enough away that he felt safe making this comment. “She did nothing but lie…”

“If that was the case, no one here would have the right to rest” cut off the earthbender.

That took the nomad by surprise.

“Don't overdo it, the Giant...”

“His story was flawed.”

“But... he even had the stone as evidence...” he stammered.

“The stone was exactly what gave him away.”

The airbender was at a loss for words. His brain was still unable to process at 100 percent capacity, and all that came out after a lot of effort was, “Huh?”

“Think, Yan. If I hit a rock against iron links, repeatedly, until it broke, what would happen to the stone?” Asked Kuzou.

“It... would break?”

“Yes, it would be a futile effort. It is possible to break metal links by just bending a rock, but then, there would be nothing left of the stone except debris.” Things were starting to come into place in his head. “The stone he showed was intact, with a very sharp deformed tip.”

Suddenly, Yan was incredibly uncomfortable. A small chill ran down the spine.

_Shit, shit, shit, s..._

A slight yawn was heard behind him and the assortment of embarrassing cloaks that they called Ember moved.

“Did I miss something?” Said, after the two of them focused on her vision.

“Yes, our dear nomad screaming like a little girl at the sight of a bug” the wanderer joked.

His outrage was cut off by the girl's loud laugh. In addition, all that commotion woke Rohan up.

“Good morning, everyone” he greeted, stretching.

“Well, since everyone is rested now, let's get going,” joked the wanderer.

“Shit, I knew I should have turned around and gone back to sleep...” complained the girl.

The problems from before seemed never to have existed, considering the friendlier way everyone behaved from there on, until they departed, in the night of the next day. They had a good night's sleep.

Two hours before dawn, they left.

In the first hour of the day, they could already see the tribe on the horizon.

Despite the premature time of day, the tribe was full of life. Several tents filled a huge clearing with its wine coloring and exotic smells.

Since times forgotten by all but Yan, the Zhangs exchanged all kinds of goods with travelers they considered worthy, and this custom continued until it flourished and transformed the tribe into a merchant hub. So much so that the place was second only to Merchant Bay, the largest market on the planet. In the black market’s matter, however, the tribe had surpassed the bay a few years ago, due to its secluded location and the members' hostile methods. So it was possible to see all sorts of things, from common and customary things, like bakers and dressmakers; to the unpleasant and horrible things, like the sale of slaves and human organs.

Thanks the spirits, they were far from that kind of thing. When Kuzou told them that, they all got worried.

“This place can be really unpleasant, but any kind of weapon or violent bend are prohibited inside the market. When we pay the offering of good graces, we will be submitting to this rule, while at the same time being protected by it. ”

It didn't calm them down as expected, but they still went on.

It turned out that the offering consisted of some useful item from a traveler, or an asset of sentimental importance.

Kuzou gave them a compass that he kept in his pocket. “It’s old, anyways. I'll get a better one right here,” he laughed afterwards.

Rohan handed over the old platinum handcuffs he had ripped off his wrists four days ago. The Zhangs were so shocked and hysterical at that they gave them a discount coupon for the entire market.

Ember didn't seem to want to give in, but a look from the Giant made her change her mind. She offered an earring hidden in her pockets. It took everyone by surprise. She didn’t look like the type of girl to dress up. She ignored the attention, but the small redness on her face was noticeable when she turned.

Yan didn't think twice about taking the fake vase out of his backpack and handing it over.

_They will probably sell as if it were a vase from an important era, as it was done to me. A pity. This vase would look so beautiful down someone's throat..._

Then they got into the mess that was the market.

Salespeople shouting their wares, other salespeople shouting counter offers, buyers shouting to be heard. The wine-colored tents in contrast to the colorful lanterns and fruit everywhere made the clearing as colorful as Republic City at night, being a lure for all lost travelers.

The first thing Kuzou did was buy groceries and medicine. And bought them in pounds. It was then the nomad realized that the stranger had his own money. A lot of it, in fact. So many curses flew through his head, and with such speed, that it would be impossible to utter them all. He, in turn, just laughed when he saw the airbender’s puzzled face.

The girl seemed enchanted by somethings, while disgusted by others. One moment she was gaping and hysterical, the next she was cursing at a random salesman. Watching her bipolarity was fun, even. The Giant watched everything with his usual decorum. However, it was also possible to identify another expression: distrust.

At least three times, salespeople jumped in front of them with some kind of merchandise in hand, or hanging from it, offering high price drops. They chased them until they realized that they would sooner be beaten rather than sell anything, and then turned to any other passerby.

They made full use of Rohan's discount, and saved quite a bit. However, the salespeople, once all smiles and joy in calling them, withered down after seeing the coupon. The goodwill was gone, and a frown settled on their faces. It took a great deal of persuasion for them to offer all their available services. Moreover, it was always necessary to double-check. Nine times out of ten, the salesman's sum was "mistaken".

When shopping was over, they were all well stocked. And poorer too. Everyone had their own backpack, full with basic supplies, in case they split up. They now had two tents to camp, along with compasses, canteens, various cloaks for various functions, new clothes, and whatever else they thought useful. Even the Giant had found things on his size. They didn't look like the same raggedy bunch that once entered the market.

After a small meal in a cozy tent in the center of the clearing, they went back to plan.

They crossed the crowd, rounding a corner here, another there, until they reached the outermost circle of tents, the most distant and least desirable of them. One of them, large, but very ugly looking, attracted attention. And that's where they went.

On the counter, there were props of the simplest and most common kind, and other handmade things. A customer was seeing some of the pieces.

“Nice, isn't it? I did it myself...,” boasted the salesman to the stranger.

“It's horrible. A baby would do better,” spat the customer.

“Ah... uhm... it's because this piece is aimed at enemies!” stammered in response. “Believe me, give this to a rival and terrible things will befall him!”

“Right...” discredited the client, and left.

The salesman spat in his direction, before seeing Yan arriving at the counter.

“A prick, that one, wanted to rob me. How can I help you, dear customer?”

Then he saw Kuzou. The man's face quickly went white, and his manners changed. The salesman's fingers started to flutter on the counter, and although he opened his mouth, no words seemed to want to come out.

“Hello, Norkka. How's the extortion going?” Hissed the earthbender.

“What you want?” Replied Norkka.

“What you do best.”

“I'm very good at many things.”

“Let's go inside,” cut off Kuzou, and immediately went around the counter.

The nomad followed him, entering the tent.

Yan expected something more sinister, like a secret base full of illegal things. However, all he saw was a messy stock of horrific items from the entrance. The wanderer sat in one of the boxes, waiting for the salesman, who was following them inside the tent.

Before Norkka complained, he was cut off again:

“We want to disappear. Completely. For reasons I believe you know already.”

“Of course I do. What fucking kind of informant would I be if I didn't know?” complained. “Although, if that were the case, The Dai Li would never had come to me, and I would never had the displeasure of meeting you.”

Yan just watched the discussion with curiosity.

“In that case, the Dai Li would still have come for you, but with other intentions.”

The informant gulped.

“Anyway... you can't afford me anymore. You haven't been Dai Li for a long time now, and I doubt you're swimming in Yuans...”

 _You should’ve watched him spend today..._ thought the airbender.

“Indeed, I lack the money for your usual fee, but I do have a good amount right here. It is more than you will ever earn in years with all this garbage,” deprecated the wanderer, pointing around.

“I earn a lot more with _other_ things, and you know it...” began the salesman.

“You're too far away for that. Ba Sing Se is currently facing a civil war, making the Dai Li too busy to deal with you. And as you said, we both know that they were your biggest client...”

“You know nothing! I don't need your charity money,” Norkka snapped, and started to leave.

Ember entered.

“What the...” he was startled.

Then Rohan.

“Oh no...” he shivered.

The Giant looked at him from up above, with suspicious eyes.

“Of course, the other part of the bargain is more attractive. It’s keeping your body intact.” Kuzou stood up, walking over to him. “I have heard we a mutual friend, Norkka.”

"H-Hello, R-R-Rohan," stammered the merchant.

“Why the surprise? If you’re so wise about my situation, you should’ve known who was accompanying me” continued the wanderer, acid.

“I heard about a giant man... but it could have been anyone...”

“Now, have you seen anyone bigger than our friend over here?”

“No, but... people tend to exaggerate...” he tried to justify himself.

“Do we have a deal, Norkka?”

The merchant stared at them. Ht seemed to process the pros and cons of the situation. There didn't seem to be much of a choice.

He nodded, slowly.

“Great. We have no time to lose. Let's begin” ordered Kuzou, relaxing the pressure on him.

Norkka thawed, and headed for the back of the tent.

They stayed there for a few hours while the informant worked out the details.

It was noon when he was finished.

“Okay, here’s your fake identities. It will work wherever it go: Full-Moon Bay, Ba Sing Se, Fire Nation capital... anywhere.”

Yan looked at his photo on the document. It was the same, just more blurry. His new name was Yin Da Ka.

_How creative..._

“And the rest? ” Asked the wanderer.

“As you can see, I don't have everything here. Or perhaps you think I was going to put all those illegal things in one place, inside a fragile rag tent, in the second largest market in the world?” Retorted the merchant. “The disguises and the like in another post of mine, for safety. I'll go there and get it, I'll be back in two or three days.”

Then he started to leave.

“Do you really think we're going to let you go by yourself?” Asked Kuzou. “We’re going with you.”

“No, it's dangero...”

“Enough excuses, Norkka! You are not going anywhere by yourself,” Rohan said, rising up.

The merchant seemed to wither. Without hiding his reluctance, he agreed.

Then they all got up, and prepared to leave.

The scorching sun escorted them through the tents, and the crowd around them. They all walked in a single file of two, with the exception of Norkka, who was leading, but closely followed by the Giant and the wanderer.

In other words, Yan and Ember were right behind.

Both avoided looking at each other at first, frowning. However, when they crossed the big market, the girl's bipolarity attacked again. In a moment of joy, she, as a child, asked:

“My fake name is Minna. Cool, huh? What is yours?”

"Yin," he said sourly.

The girl laughed.

“How imaginative! Did he at least give you a decent surname?” mocked the girl.

“No. Yin Da Ka. A shit name.”

Ember then stopped laughing. She started looking at her document over and over again. Curious, Yan tilted his head to read her name.

_Minna Da Ka_

Suddenly, the nomad was also looking at his identity, searching an explanation. He found it in the back. He didn't like what he read at all.

_Spouse: Minna Da Ka_

The fire bender had also found that information in her document. Both looked at each other, full of disgust and outrage. Then they went straight to the informant.

“What the fuck is this?!” Both shouted, after reaching him.

The merchant didn't understand what the problem was, and simply said it was random. The others, however, understood immediately and started laughing.

The rest of the way to the exit of the market was filled with the “couple’s” arguments. They attracted a lot of, thankfully, harmless attention. They only seemed to tire when the tree cover was over and they arrived in the dry area that surrounded the Great Divide.

“Where is your other outpost?” Asked Kuzou, when they reached the Canyon.

“The closest one is by a river cove to the south. We'll be there soon enough,” said Norkka, scratching his nose.

“Great, so let's hurry up. We are all taking risks at the moment.”

“And whose fault is tha..." began the merchant.

Rohan seemed to be irritated, but did nothing. His attention was caught by a figure on the horizon. The heat made its silhouette appear to be trembling, folding in waves.

The wanderer noticed as well.

He covered everyone inside a dome of earth before the flames reached them.

"What the..." Yan said.

Without hesitating, Kuzou undid half the dome and threw the rest of it at the attacker. The figure simply jumped over the piece of land, and began to rain fireballs over them. A wall rose and protected them, while Rohan threw a huge boulder at the enemy. Bending fire at his feet for propulsion, he again dodged, and directed himself at them.

He then became visible. A robust man, with broad shoulders. He wore various robes wrapped around his body, all of them a desert-colored. His bare arms showed how hirsute he was, along with his unkempt beard and black hair. It was possible to see some scars on his face and arms.

With frightening speed, lightning flashed from his fingers. Before Rohan could do anything, lightning struck him. The Giant was thrown into the Canyon.

Without a second thought, Ember went after him.

Kuzou managed to protect himself and the others from the next lightning by adjusting the existing earth wall.

“Who the hell is this guy?!” Yelled Yan, exacerbated.

“A mercenary!” Replied the wanderer, creating another wall to increase defense. Just in time: another lightning flew into the previously empty space.

The nomad was startled by that information. But not as much as Norkka.

“He's after you! Leave me out of this!” And started running.

The earthbender caught him by the neck before he was able to perform such an act.

“It is now! We paid you, then you will take this job to completion!”

At that moment, the wall was demolished by the force of the next attack, throwing the three of them on the ground, between the gravels.

The merchant stood up and looked at the mercenary. Then to Kuzou, who also got up.

“Meet me at Gaoling!” commented, just for the former agent ears, and ran away.

The mercenary landed between them, with eyes only on its prize, ignoring the sorry being running away, towards the saving trees.

The wanderer thought quickly. With a movement, a wave of earth went towards the bounty hunter, at the same time that it kept him away.

The curtain of fire then descended onto them. However, they were already falling deep into the Great Divide, out of range of the attack, long before it could’ve been a threat.


	8. Chapter 7: Divided (Part 1)

It was not difficult to find Rohan. The Giant was taking rocks of considerable size from the ground and sending them straight to the mercenary that appeared at the edge of the abyss. Flying stones are very eye-catching.

When they approached, Ember had started to help, setting the rocks on fire. In the distance, it was possible to see the mercenary dodging attacks and descending the canyon wall.

“Are you alright?” Asked Kuzou.

“I'm...” A rock flew. “...fine! Why wouldn’t...” “Another rock. “...I be?” Replied the Giant, without taking his eyes off the target.

“You received a lightning bolt straight to the chest!” Yan was exasperated.

The colossus could be ridiculously resistant, but the airbender thought that everything had a limit. When he saw the Giant being hit and thrown away, he thought they were doomed.

“You should worry about yourselves. I saw you falling off the edge.” Another rock was thrown.

“Why, so did you! ” Exclaimed the nomad.

"It helps to have a flying nomad," said the former agent. Then he pointed ahead. “And we indeed have worse problems.”

The bounty hunter had arrived intact at the base of the canyon.

Rohan then stopped the stone throwing. The four of them were on the alert, ready for the inevitable confrontation. The tension was clear.

The mercenary spun, and from his feet came a streak of flames the length of which would reach all four at once. Each of them defended themselves in their own way, and counterattacked. The attacker dodged the rocks and the wind, and bent the delayed fireball that came towards him into nonexistence.

Ember moved forward, sending flames repeatedly, jumping like a gazelle. The firebender simply ducked, thus avoiding the attacks. With a quick movement of his feet, he created a wave of fire that hit her in the middle of a jump. Then lightning flew from his fingers towards the girl.

A wall of pure rock saved her, while its maker went back to throwing rocks at the enemy. As agile as ever, the mercenary escaped them all, and, like a bird of prey, ran towards him, with two fire "daggers" appearing beside his fists. The giant tried to hit him with his fists, but again he was ineffective. Rohan fell to his knees, with two major burns on his body, one on his calf and one on his waist.

Yan skimmed the bounty hunter. He avoided it by millimeters, but its rebounding air caught him. He rolled until he was stabilized, when the nomad tried striking again. The mercenary learned quickly. He did a somersault in midair, and his flaming foot hit the glider's wing. With its wing broken and set on fire, the airbender whirled until hitting the floor painfully.

Ember attacked again, but got too close. With a kick to the stomach, the girl collapsed. Rohan screamed in anger at the sight and stood up. The firebender prepared to face him.

That had been more than enough of a distraction for the former agent.

Kuzou came out of the ground from behind the attacker. His stony fist hit the enemy in the face, which retreated with the force of the impact. Without wasting a second, the wanderer continued the attack, bending a boulder against his chest.

The mercenary flew against one of the canyon's many walls. When he fell to the ground, he struggled to his feet, visibly injured. However, he was not defeated.

Irritated, the flame he launched seemed to fill the entire rocky corridor they were on. Yan protected himself behind one of the colossal pillars, while Rohan created a huge stonewall.

Kuzou was going to do the same until he saw Ember.

The girl was crawling in pain, trying to escape. The chance of that happening was null, but desperation and stubbornness moved her.

The wanderer bent a pillar of earth to propel him towards her. When hitting the ground beside the girl, the floor gave in, and they both fell.

As the fire dissipated, there was only a hole where the two of them once were seconds ago.

“Kuzou! Ember!” Shouted the nomad, worried.

Rohan noticed their absence, and moved towards the hole. The mercenary intercepted him. Again, the Giant was unable to hit him, and new burns appeared on his skin. The airbender created a gale, but the attacker was no longer there. He managed to avoid the flame that followed from roasting him, but its force still managed to throw him back.

 _What's with this guy? How does he do these things?_ Cried the nomad in his thoughts.

The bounty hunter straightened up, as if he were victorious. And maybe he was. Flames danced between his fingers.

An unpleasant sound echoed through the corridors and valleys of the Great Divide. The stones and gravel in the soil seemed to shake slightly. Everyone stood still.

_What the..._

The first crawler fell among them menacingly. Dozens followed.

The insects began to sniff around, looking for something. They found what they wanted in all of them.

_Shit, the groceries! They smell the food!_

The mercenary did not hesitate. He roasted the nearest creature, and electrocuted the next one. The insects fell over him. All that could be seen was a mess of flame and creatures.

The rest of the crawlers turned on them.

Yan started to run. Very fast. However, Rohan seemed determined to go look for the others. For that, however, he would have to face half of the insectoid army.

“We must save Master Kuzou and Miss Ember!”

“Yes, but only if we are alive for that! Kuzou knows how to take care of himself. Besides, you are not in a position to save anyone. Come on!” Shouted the nomad, in a hurry.

He had no hope of carrying the Giant, so they had to flee slowly, facing the insects as they approached. Nevertheless, they were not going to last long, they were weak.

_shitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitwhatarewegoingtodorshitshitshitgonnadoshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshit,shitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshit,shit,whatarewegoing............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... THE FOOD!_

He started digging through his backpack for any kind of food. When he found something, he started shooting it away. Rohan saw what he was doing, and began to imitate him.

It worked. Soon the crawlers were left behind, distracted by the food. But they wouldn't be like that for long, they had to take that chance and create maximum distance.

Then they started running as much as possible, even if it hurt like hell.

"Heavens," Yan huffed, catching his breath.

He was reclining, hands on his knees, seeing only blurriness. He had never run so frantically in his life. His heart seemed to want to jump out through his mouth, as did the entire contents of his stomach.

The Giant just sat, taking a deep breath. The colossus had incredible self-control. However, his face showed all the pain and tiredness he felt.

“Are you okay, Master Yan?” He asked, now with his eyes closed, as if he were absorbing the world around him.

“Fine” _I should be the one asking this question. You were the most hurt._ “How about you?”

“Ditto.”

"Ditto, my ass..."

The nomad decided to lie down. The world insisted on becoming cloudy. Without bothering to pick up his robes, he simply let himself fall. The blue sky was clear and the sun just wasn’t blinding thanks to the huge boulders and pillars of the surrounding canyon. He let his eyelids fall.

“We have to go back and help them. The mercenary can go after them,” Rohan insisted.

The airbender decided to keep his eyes closed.

“As soon as we can move, I’ll think about it.”

“No problem.”

Yan started to hear the other getting up.

_Stubborn son of a..._

The noise stopped.

When he opened his eyes to see, he realized that the Giant was static, in a half-kneeling, half-sitting position. The pain was clear on his face.

“Hell.” The nomad got up and went towards his friend. “You are not indestructible, you know? I am also concerned, but right now we are unable to do anything at all.”

The earthbender sat down again. Up close, it was possible to see all the burns on his body, especially the joints. The accuracy of these blows was noticeable.

_By Gyatso, that must hurt a lot._

“In fact, I’ll repeat: they know how to take care of themselves.” _Do ‘we’, though?_ , He imagined, ominous. “And a little time away from that fiery girl will do my sanity good.”

Yan saw an attempt at laughter hit Rohan. After that, silence fell between them. The airbender hated silence. Hyperactive, decided to do something. He opened the backpack lying on the floor and looked for something useful. He found a retractable tent and started setting up camp.

Half an hour passed before he was finished. It was supposed to be the easiest thing in the world, but it was more like Vaatu himself. Nothing stood still in place.

The Giant spoke when the nomad stopped to observe his abstract work:

“She's not as bad as you think.”

That took him by surprise. It took him a reasonable amount of time for him to notice it was a continuation of the previous conversation, and to whom he was referring to.

“Look, dude, I...”

Then Rohan was already on the floor, unconscious.

Kuzou woke up with the gravel falling on his face. Immediately, he remembered everything and jumped to his feet.

A ray of sunlight illuminated him, coming from the hole from which they fell, a good twenty meters above. A great commotion was audible up there. He was able to identify the sounds.

_The mercenary. Crawlers. Shit._

“Ouch, my head... as if the pain everywhere else wasn’t enough...” complained Ember, waking up beside him.

Immediately, the wanderer helped her to her feet and dragged her into the darkness, without even letting her finish an expletive. However, she was cursing all the way.

When pitch-black was all one could see, they stopped.

“Ember, make a small flame.”

The girl promptly obeyed. She wasn't much of a fan of the dark.

The flame lit up both of them and a little of their surroundings.

“Where the hell are we?” She asked, looking around.

“Don’t know. I was unaware of the existence of caves under the Great Divide.”

“But don't you know _everything_?” She spat, starting to walk away to explore.

Kuzou did not bother to answer. He just accompanied her.

The cave was indeed unique. It had a cylindrical shape throughout and the floor was muddy. The walls were lined with grooves and small holes, or perhaps tunnels, behind the mantle of inner darkness. The ceiling, when visible, was pointed, covered with stalactites and more grooves.

“Damn mud! I can barely walk in this shit!” Shouted the girl, kicking the air.

"Pray not to be actual shit," replied the earthbender. Ember didn't seem to like the thought of that.

However, it was indeed difficult to walk. At a certain point, the mud reached their shins, rendering them both to walk at the speed of the rodent-snail.

After some time, they finally arrived on hard ground, while the roof of the cave approached them, with a height of only 3 meters.

 _A little closer and Rohan would have trouble walking in here,_ wondered Kuzou.

After a little exclamation of joy from the girl because of the soil, they resumed the silence.

“Do you think the fur man is after us?” The firebender started a conversation.

_Fur man? This girl is something, gotta admit..._

"I think he has bigger problems at the moment," released the wanderer.

A confused expression appeared on the girl's face, but he did not continue and she soon forgot about it.

“That guy was like a crazy man moving. His skill seems supernatural.” She insisted on the conversation after a few more minutes of silence.

“No, he was nothing out of the ordinary for a skilled mercenary.”

“Oh, really? How did he do all that stuff up there, then?”

“We were easy prey.”

Ember was taken aback.

“Easy prey?! It was four on one! We should have been able to beat him without a sweat!”

“You would be surprised at how useless the numerical quantity can be against skill. Four uncoordinated and inexperienced people equate to an average man. Or a skilled child” replied the earthbender. “I've faced larger groups.”

Ember was incredulous.

Then her expression changed. Her eyes narrowed, and it was possible to feel the suspicion. Disgust.

_She is remembering that I was once Dai Li. The subject led her to this and now she is imagining all kinds of horrible things that I may have done._

After that, she was quiet and moved away slightly.

That cave never seemed to end. The uncomfortable silence also didn't help time to pass.

“What the...?” the firebender was startled.

Kuzou stopped and looked. A wall covered the path they threaded. There was a tunnel to the right, but it didn't look very safe. Looking around, nothing could be seen but darkness; neither the walls nor the ceiling was there anymore.

"Ember, increase the strength of the flame," he asked.

When the flames grew considerably, the place revealed itself.

They were on the edge of a large spherical space, where hundreds of holes marked the walls and the ceiling. What they once thought were walls were large, thick threads of viscous material that spread like bridges and pillars across the covered "clearing".

_Oh no..._

“I repeat: What the fuck?” Asked the girl, her voice echoing through the tunnels.

In response, the earth began to vibrate slightly. Kuzou could hear faint growing sounds coming through the big tunnel they came from.

_I think their fiery pastime has run out..._


	9. Chapter 8: Divided (Part 2)

Without wasting a second, the wanderer stepped forward and covered the entrance with massive rock.

Ember looked lost, not knowing what to do, not understanding what was going on.

Kuzou then noticed the holes in the walls and realized their meaning. As quickly as he could, he started to cover them too. Halfway through the job, he realized how futile that act was.

_They dug it once, they can easily do it again._

He began to analyze the options. There weren't many.

“Kuzou, explain to me...” she tried again, without success.

The earthbender took her by the wrist and dragged her to one of the walls. She pulled away, annoyed.

“Let me go! Explain to me what's going on!” shouted.

The entrance wall went down, and hundreds of crawlers infiltrated.

The girl froze.

“Follow me and keep them away!” said the former agent, turning the girl towards him.

He then started to bend a new tunnel up through the wall. Ember did not hesitate and ran to follow him.

The earthbender dug frantically, opening up a large space in the front and, when possible, closing the back. The walls, however, were no match for crawlers. They passed through them as if it was paper. Therefore, it didn't take long for the creatures to reach them.

When the last defense fell, however, Ember was unable to move.

The creatures jumped on top of her.

A new rock wall came out of the ground and crushed the nearest insects against the ceiling. The splashing fluids drenched the girl.

“Afraid of insects, really?!” Kuzou released, incredulous. “How do you intend to be independent like that, leaving others to do everything?!”

The girl raised her head. The wall fell, and more insects came. Another wall came, crushing more creepers. This time, the firebender dodged the disgusting bath.

“Prove to me what you are capable of!” He urged.

Another wall. More insects. Another wall.

“Prove to _Rohan_ what you are capable of!!!” He yelled.

When the wall came down, flames filled the tunnel.

It wasn't going to be long before the sun went down. The sky already had that orange tone so adored by couples. Yan calculated a maximum of twenty minutes until nightfall. He couldn't wait for the stars.

He got up and went to see the sick man.

Rohan was lying on the ground, under the shade of the tent. The nomad had no hope of being able to move the Giant even by centimeters, so, unfortunately, he could not actually prepare a bed. In fact, just by lifting some of the limbs for the bandages, he already felt a huge twinge in his arms. When he was finished, he lay there feeling his "muscles" pulse, unable to move a finger.

Now the colossus was covered in bandages, and he was breathing deeply. Yan was no master of the healing arts, but he had a basic knowledge of first aid acquired from the monks. It didn't compare to the skills of waterbenders, obviously, especially because he couldn’t bend water. However, when he saw Rohan collapsing, he could not just stand and do nothing. To think a man of that size could be knocked down.

That mercenary's skill was frightening. He had brought down a giant with only two well-located and well-thought out attacks. Wasting no movement, he had disarmed everyone. The only one who was able to hit him at all was...

_...Kuzou. If the mercenary shows up here, we are lost. Kuzou was the only one who could face him. No crawlers either. And we still have food here in the backpacks. I hope the creatures were satisfied with that prick._

Rohan then grunted and opened his eyes. The stars that invaded the violet sky received him.

“How are you feeling, big guy?” Yan asked, bringing a canteen.

“Great, how about you?” Said the giant, after wetting his throat.

“Indestructible, my ass, huh?” the airbender joked.

The other managed to produce a weak laugh. With great effort, and ignoring the nomad's exclamations, he sat down. He looked around and noticed the bandages.

"Thank you very much for treating me, Master Yan," he whispered, not completely without pain. He tried to get on his knees to bow, but failed.

 _I am not even an_ air _master, stop being so damn polite_

“You’re welcome. I didn't do a good job, anyways.”

The colossus managed to laugh more vividly this time.

They decided to eat, but not without fear. As terrifying as the insects were, they needed to feed.

Night came, and with it, the cold.

As much as the nomad felt tempted to build a fire to keep them warm, a small voice in his head (very similar to Kuzou's, incidentally) told him that that was a bad idea in their situation.

So both were content to shove themselves into many layers of wool and cotton, and let the moon light them up.

In the silence, the sounds of the Great Divide were revealed. Sinister sounds produced by the winds crossed the corridors of stone pillars and the cries of the creatures echoed. However, the other sounds combined with these induced, curiously, calm and relaxation.

“What did you mean earlier?” Yan asked, breaking the melody of the canyon.

The giant showed confusion.

"Before passing out, you said something about Ember," explained the nomad.

It took a while, but he managed to remember.

“Ah, yes. So…?

“What did you mean by that? Take the opportunity to complete the thought now.”

“What I meant was that she is not as horrible as you might think.”

Yan noticed the amendment he made to the sentence. The “you” was almost in the singular.

“Just that? That simple?”

"Simple as that," Rohan emphasized.

The airbender was not going to give in so easily.

“I thought you guys didn't know each other beforehand. How do you know so much about her personality, then?” He inquired.

 _Kuzou would be proud,_ he boasted, mentally.

“Nor did you. How, then, do you know so much about her bad personality?”

_Ouch_

"I simply don't judge people as superficially," continued the giant. “I've seen cases like that. She's probably just nervous.”

“First impression is what counts...” tried to justify the nomad, without really believing the saying.

“If that were so, I would still find you naive and dependent.”

_Ouch, again. Two to zero for him._

"I apologize for the honesty," said Rohan, laughing.

Yan chose not to dwell on the matter. The giant was more knowledgeable than he appeared. Suddenly, the memory of Kuzou telling him about the stone's lie hit him.

_Can I really trust any of them?_

"You seem to be good at judging people," released the nomad, involuntarily.

“I guess.”

“I hope you're wrong about Norkka, then, otherwise we're screwed” Yan changed the subject.

Rohan's face changed. Relaxation and joy turned into a frown.

“He ran away, didn't he?” He asked.

_Ah yes, he had already fallen in the Great Divide when Norkka disbanded._

"Not exactly..." began the nomad, remembering something.

Yan could have sworn he saw the informant shouting something at Kuzou before running away. And since the former agent didn't go after him, he thought it was because he had a plan. Although they were a bit overwhelmed to chase him, even if they wanted to.

“Your uncertainty confirms it. That swindler ran away” spat the colossus.

The reaction the “swindler” caused in him made the archaeologist curious.

“What's your story with this guy? Why do you dislike him so much?”

“There are plenty of reasons.”

Before he could continue, however, a huge carcass fell between them. They both jumped in fright, ignoring tiredness and pain.

It was a smoking corpse of a crawler.

They looked in the direction the body had come from.

_It was too good to be true_

The sky was purple when they finally reached the surface. The moon and the stars were already appearing, arriving at the corners to steal the sun’s place.

Kuzou closed the passage, and without exchanging a word, they both walked away, exhausted.

They sat down not far to rest. The place had not been meticulously chosen for its advantages or protections. They just wanted to rest.

Ember, as soon as she sat down, hugged her knees. And like that. Kuzou preferred a more comfortable position, leaning against one of the canyon's massive pillars.

The silence, however, continued, even after the sun completely disappeared and the moon took over the sky. Troubled, the former agent decided to move, do something useful. He opened his backpack and took out some simple foods for immediate consumption. He realized he was hungry. He took two huge bites of the cheese block, savoring it with his mouth full, regardless of how eager he looked. The dried meat served as a complement, but the strength it required from the jaw was too exhausting. He, then, offered it to the girl.

The firebender looked him in the eye. It looked like she was going to refuse when, quickly, she snatched the cheese from his hand. Without changing position, she began to take small bites off its ends. Kuzou smiled. She turned her face away.

Giving up, the earthbender reclined against the rock and began to grind the dried meat.

And like that they remained, in the uncomfortable silence, for what seemed like hours, but were mere minutes.

“How… How long have you known?”

Kuzou was taken by surprise. The silence had gone on for so long that it seemed unbreakable. Moreover, she was the last person he expected to be able to break it. As he always hated inactivity, when the girl whispered, he was concentrating on the sounds of the Great Divide, after clues from the surroundings, as well as thinking about future plans.

The former agent noticed how much willpower it took her to make the question. Her eyes showed fear, shame, vulnerability and, above all, anger at having demonstrated all of this. Despite being distracted at the time, he also did not fail to notice the shiver in her voice.

"Since you sat with us by the fire," he replied carefully.

Ember had opened up for the first time, he couldn't let a chance like that get away. He had to be cautious, but above all, respectful. How he would act from then on could make her a friend, or shut her up for good in the disgust he knew she felt about his past.

Therefore, after answering, he was silent. It took her a while to break it.

“I want to curse you for spying on people with your secret agent skills. But I'm not as stupid as you think. I know I'm too spontaneous, too obvious. A mistake, of course.”

When she was done, she dipped her head further between her knees.

Kuzou had to admit, he was able to read her as if she was a book with giant letters. But that was him. He had been trained to read the most difficult people, and she was not one of those. However, normal people would not understand; take Yan, for example, with his long grudge based on a lightly burned hand.

Therefore, he decided to be honest.

“Far from being a mistake.”

“Of course it is!” She shouted, preventing him from continuing. “Everyone knows what I think, what I’m like! I am easily manipulated and influenced...”

“Would you rather be like me?” now it was his turn to interrupt. “My actions bring nothing but distrust and fear over me. You two are an example of that.”

The girl seemed to feel guilty. Not knowing what to say, she remained quiet.

“Sorry...” she whispered at last.

“No need to apologize. You have good reasons” sighed the ex-agent. “I'm really dangerous if one looks from that angle. But think about the good part: I'm on your side” he tried to joke, awkwardly.

Ember looked at him.

“And if I wanted to deceive you, my actions would be counterproductive, everyone suspects the serious guy with a dark past” continued Kuzou. “If I wanted to be a turncoat, the most effective way would be to be... well... like you.”

He then realized the meaning those words could have for her. He was not accusing her. But before he could correct himself, the girl started to laugh.

"I just discovered things that you suck at: comforting people and making jokes," she scoffed.

Kuzou then smiled, hiding his relief.

“What if I'm a secret agent, huh? Going undercover to catch you guys?” Amused herself.

“So, congratulations, you are much better than me. The Dai Li would kill to have someone like you.” He joke around.

“Well, I'm certainly better than you at eating, you look like an animal.”

“Force of habit, I guess.”

The truth was that when you are on a high-risk mission with little food, you didn't have time to be fancy. Class was a luxury that you couldn't have, unless you preferred to face death sooner than later. He had really gotten used to it, but it wasn’t all that bad.

“I was actually surprised by your eating manners” he laughed.

The fire bender seemed to hesitate when she heard that. However, something distracted his attention before he had a chance to ask about it.

An orange flash lit up a patch of the horizon.

Attracted by his gaze, Ember looked just in time to see another flash turn the night into day for a few seconds.

“What the..." released the girl.

Kuzou interrupted her with his movements. He got up, put the food back in his backpack with unbridled haste, and made her do the same.

Then they both started running as fast as possible in the direction of the “light show”.

Rohan was already defeated when they arrived. Ember gave a cry of distress and ran to the giant. Yan faced the enemy alone, but he also seemed to be done for. His body showed burns, especially in the joints. He was kneeling, trying to get up.

The mercenary hovered over him, like an angel of death.

The scream from firebender alerted the enemy of their arrival, but even then, he had not been quick enough to escape the boulders completely. Kuzou had thrown many.

“Are you okay, my friend?” Said the former agent, putting his hand on the nomad's shoulder.

“Fa... F-fant...fastastic” he spat, with great difficulty.

Kuzou passed his friend's arm over his shoulders and helped him get closer to the other two. Once there, he allowed his partner to collapse.

The earthbender then turned to the attacker, already recovered. They both approached slowly, analyzing each other.

“What's your name, mercenary?” He yelled.

The bounty hunter did not bother to answer.

“I’ve never killed anyone whose name I didn't know before. That is the difference between the two of us.”

The firebender seemed to get irritated. However, he did not attack, just looked who approached him.

Ember prostrated herself beside the former agent.

“Are you sure about that?” He asked, just for her to hear.

The girl's eyes answered everything.

"Great," he smiled. “You know why we lost last time, right?”

She nodded.

“Team work. Being independent does not mean being lonely.”

Ember smiled.

The mercenary, having assessed the threats, attacked.

A rock wall rose and interrupted his onslaught. He just jumped over the top, ready to attack.

But Ember was waiting for him. The flames danced, and the attacker returned to the ground, dodging. Before he retaliated, Kuzou was behind him. His stone-wrapped fist hit the enemy in the ribs, knocking him forward. The man got up in a matter of seconds, lightning sizzling on his fingers. But a curtain of flames covered him from the heavens. The flames dissipated, with the enemy intact. The girl landed just as a lightning bolt passed between, separating them.

It was what the mercenary wanted. The fire flew in both directions.

The girl simply deflected them.

“Kuzou!” She shouted, desperate.

The bounty hunter smiled when he saw the black spot where a man had once stood. Then he turned to the girl.

"I can't believe you fell for that," said a hushed voice.

Behind the attacker was what appeared to be a human-sized stone Golem.

The punches that followed emptied all his lungs, and the enemy's stance disappeared. Flames exploded, but Kuzou was well protected under the rock armor. The mercenary staggered, trying to get away. When Ember came from behind, however, he flew, setting everything around on fire.

Quick and unabashed, the former agent covered the two fallen friends in the distance. The girl was thrown away, but avoided the flames. Lightning tore off part of his rock shoulder. The second bolt would have taken off his “helmet”, if he had not made a wall of earth for himself. The bounty hunter jumped over the wall and continued to attack, making it impossible for the earthbender to rebuild his armor. Light and voracious, his attacks were quickly destroying the armor, until finally one of the lightning strikes hit the man behind the stone. He fell to his knees, and what remained of the armor fell apart.

The mercenary's shadow covered him.

"Azulon," he said, unmoved. His voice was thick and rough. The earthbender opened his eyes wide.

Ember arrived with all her strength and heat, but the enemy just dodged and grabbed her by the wrist.

He smiled. She did too.

“Thanks for the name. Now I feel less...”

The earth pillar hit him in the ribs.

“...GUILTY!” Shouted Kuzou, when the mercenary was thrown away.

The attacker was fast, but the girl was faster.

She came up from behind, in midair, and made a typhoon of fire with her hands. The bounty hunter did not have time to react.

He hit one of the giant pillars and fell to the ground, injured. However, he got up, furious.

Soon his expression changed.

Kuzou was standing, firm, with both hands stretched out into the air. His face was straining, and his muscles were strained. The mercenary noticed the ground trembling. The hands were not pointed in the air, they were pointed at the...

“I'll remember, Azulon.” Hissed Kuzou, staring at him.

The two colossal pillars of earth in front of him fell.

The firebender tried to escape the rocky chaos that formed in the fall of the pillars. And managed to escape. From one.

The second demolished what appeared to be the entire horizon of the canyon. The former agent knew that, on the scale of the Great Divide, it was insignificant, but it was nevertheless impressive. The dust cloud reached them, forcing them to cover their faces.

They ran to the dome that protected their friends, and entered it.

Ember started to laugh. Kuzou was unable to hold on, and followed suit.

Then they took their friends - the giant was put back on a bed of stone - and left, as fast as they could.

They had a long way to go. The Great Divide was still on their way, and they would have to travel half of the earth's kingdom to get to their destination.

_Meet me at Gaoling!_

None of them knew where they were going, except him.

Kuzou felt that they would not react well to the news, but they would have plenty of time for that later.

_One thing at a time_


	10. Chapter 9: One Step Back

Leaving the Great Divide was a much bigger problem than anticipated. After the victory over the mercenary, the last thing on their minds was how they would get out of there. Adrenaline was driving them and nothing seemed to bother them. Soon it dissipated, however, and the priorities changed.

Ember couldn't bear carrying Yan for long - she was tired, too - so the nomad had to be put in bed with Rohan. Unfortunately, it didn't take long for the bed itself to become a nuisance as well. It was easy enough to transport the friends across the flat ground at the bottom of the Canyon, with minor exceptions here and there; but it was basically impossible to get them out of there when they reached the big wall at one end.

There were no longer ramps or trails to enter or leave the Canyon, let alone guides. The Great Divide no longer had the attractive potential of decades ago. There were always pilgrims, but it was a very small number of them; the rest of the people were not interested, simply because there were better and safer tourist spots. Not even as a passage the place served anymore: with current technology, there were dozens of ways to get to the other side of the Divide without necessarily having to cross it. As a result, the once famous tourist spot has become a wild and dangerous hole. And they were both feeling it firsthand.

Kuzou did not have the strength to create a new path, and even if he did, time was against them. Crawlers had been a constant problem during the trip, and with the moon at its most central point in the sky, they seemed to be bolder. Half of the provisions were lost. Not to mention the constant threat from more mercenaries.

Ember sat on the side of the stone mattress, beside her friends, exhausted.

“How ... how do we get up there? She snorted, looking up at the starry sky.

 _Good question,_ thought the former agent.

“Can you use your fire as a propulsion?” tried the earthbender.

If she could, she could carry Yan on her shoulders, and then...

_Then, what? Would you carry Rohan on your shoulders too? She barely managed to carry the nomad on foot, imagine flying... no, that is a bad idea. Tiredness is damaging your reasoning, you big idiot…_

“No, I can't.”

The girl seemed upset to have to admit it.

_But she admitted. She never would have done that before. It is a good evolution._

Kuzou was happy to have managed to make her friendlier. Nobody survives alone.

 _I wish I learned that ten years ago...,_ he lamented.

“Can't you, I don't know, throw them up there?” Asked the firebender, pulling him out of his memories.

“Not without killing them.”

“Oh... right, never mind... then...”

The former agent allowed himself a smile.

"Keep trying," he teased.

“Ah, I don't know. Didn't you learn anything useful from the Dai Li for these kinds of situations?”

During the silence that followed, she realized what she had said.

“My bad, I didn't want to...”

“Actually...” interrupted Kuzou, lost in thought, without realizing that the girl was speaking. “But at least two earth benders were required for it...”

“What?”

Ember even stood up in her curiosity.

“Earth Lift, that's what we used to call it.”

_Were Rohan awake, this would be very easy. But lifting them all by myself..._

"It sounds very... simple," she said, uncertain.

“In theory, it is. It’s a quick load lifting tactic. Very useful and practical, but in the current circumstances...”

_I don't have the energy for that. I would need a nice rest. Who told you to stay always on active duty? Yan was right, I should have rested when I had the chance..._

“... the current circumstances call for immediate action!” Cried Ember, realizing what was happening around them.

Kuzou followed the girl's gaze.

The crawlers were back. Approximately one hundred meters ahead, the first appeared around the earth pillars, both on the floor and the rock walls.

_Of course. It was taking too long._

“Fire barrier, now!” He ordered, running towards the colossal wall that held them inside that damn hole.

Without thinking twice, the girl moved, and the flames danced. A "wall" of fire has formed between them and the insects. They, in turn, retreated before the flames; But not for long.

Getting a big boost from the run, and with all the strength he could muster, the former agent punched the cliff. From below to the top of the great wall, the land receded, forming a horizontal channel in its face, which seen from afar would be nothing more than a simple stripe in the canyon immensity. Then, he fitted the bed with his friends to his artificial “fosse”, and called the firebender.

“Keep them away!” He shouted when she climbed on the stone bed.

The crawlers had already advanced through the fire barrier, now nothing but ashes, and were dangerously close. More flames came and delayed them for a few more seconds.

Kuzou steadied himself, and started to roll his arms. The bed began to rise, sliding along the edges as if they were skidding over a grease-walled hole.

Ember looked like a child, such astonishment and joy at being elevated in the air. The wind from the single side opening tossed her short black hair everywhere, in a futile attempt to entangle it.

“HAH! This is awesome! Take that, you fucking insects!” And burst out laughing.

Her joy was short-lived. Soon the creatures began to climb the wall after them, at an alarming rate.

“Ah, shit” cursed the girl, watching the distance between diminish.

She opened the backpack, picked up some more food and tossed it over the side in hopes of delaying them. It worked on about a dozen, who fell to their deaths in an attempt to grab the food. However, there were still dozens and dozens more. She cursed some more.

The climb then halted. And for half a second, they fell, until they hit something.

“What the fuck was that?!” Exclaimed the firebender, looking at her companion. She was surprised to see him sitting, panting, dripping liters of sweat.

“I... hunf ... I bent... a layer of ea... hunf... earth underneath... so we don't fall...” he replied, barely managing to form the words.

"Why did we stop?"

“Do you... hunf... do you think it is easy to carry a... damn piece of rock weighing over 400 kilos, plus our weights combined, with pure... pure brute force? Why do you think it takes more than one bender... hunf... for this fucking technique?” Kuzou said.

“They're getting closer! The food doesn't work anymore. What do I do?”

“Roast them.”

Cursing some more, she turned to the edge and began to attack everything that moved.

The former agent felt his muscles throb. A little more of that and he wouldn't feel his arms for days. But he had to go back. It was getting sore or being eaten alive. It was not a difficult choice. However, this did not make getting up easier.

_You can do it... just take a deep breath... let the adrenaline take over you..._

Ember had managed to get rid of at least twenty insects, before the nearest one finally reached them. She burned the creature, throwing it back into the depths of the Great Divide, but soon another one replaced it.

"Tell me we're close," asked the earthbender, still seated.

"Uhm ..."

They were not even halfway through. One third would already be optimistic.

“Lie if need be!” He shouted.

The girl was confused and busy keeping the creatures off the edge, but said anyway:

“We are almost there!”

_We are almost there_

Kuzou got up slowly, and leaned against the wall.

_We are almost there_

Two more crawlers caught up with them.

He steadied himself in the position.

Two more crawlers went flying.

The bed rose again.

_We are almost there_

The speed increased and they started to move away from the insects.

“That’s it! Keep it up! We are almost there!” encouraged the girl, making fireballs rain over the creatures.

_We are..._

The speed reached alarming levels, unbalancing the firebender.

... _almost_...

Ember had to lie down so as not to be thrown out. The wind was deafening. They were really getting...

... _THERE!_

The girl could have sworn they were going to launch into space toward their painful deaths, given their speed. However, at the last second, some kind of brake was applied, and a ridiculously strong pull made the entire contents of her stomach from the last few days want to jump out. Still, they went pass border and found themselves flying over the edge, the entire black horizon visible for two seconds. Until the fall began.

A huge ramp blossomed from the ground below, and either by a miracle, or by earthbending, they fell the in right way and skidded along its length to the ground, where they continued to slide for meters and meters, the speed naturally decreasing until the bed stopped half a kilometer later, near the shadows of the trees.

Ember stumbled out of the rock and vomited. A lot.

When her stomach was empty and her head stopped spinning, she dropped on her side on the dry soil. The world finally started to get back into place in her head.

“Everything... according... to plan...” snorted Kuzou, sprawled on the stone bed.

“Go... fuck... yourself...” she countered.

They both started laughing as best they could.

Kuzou only woke up twelve hours later, when the sun was well above him. The light almost blinded him, and he feared that he had finally gotten a hell of tan.

He felt both arms soft and weak, tingling. He could hardly move his fingers. A horrible nausea came over him, but he managed to control it.

_Damn, it looks like I a hangover_

With incredible willpower, he managed to sit up. Ember was in the same place as before, drooling in her sleep. The other two were still unconscious.

Kuzou had to congratulate himself. He had done unbelievable things to bring them to the up there, and still in one piece. However, he could not forget Ember's contribution. She had been a great partner after her rudeness shell was broken.

After deducting that it was noon, the former agent got up and started to collect their things. Two of the backpacks were thrown away during the fall. He found the first stuck on a branch of one of the nearby trees, in good condition; as good as it could be at least. He found what was left of the other one near the edge of the Great Divide.

 _Crawlers,_ he thought.

They were far enough away from the bug's comfort zone, but that backpack was not so lucky. The damned creatures ate even what was not supposed to be edible. One of the handles was soaked with the animals' blood.

 _They fought over it. I hope they get fucking indigestion,_ he cursed.

After that, he scanned the surroundings for food and signs of unwanted visitors. He found neither. They were relatively safe, but they were testing fate. They had lost precious hours of advantage over their enemies. They could be there at any minute. They had to leave as soon as possible, but Kuzou did not have the courage to wake his companions.

_Companions. Who thought I would come this far?_

United by adversity. Fate was a strange thing.

He was in the middle of building a shelter when Ember woke up.

“My Sozin, I'm dying.” She groaned, trying to sit up.

“You are not the only one.”

The girl found the strength to get up. From her face, it looked like she was going throw up. If there was anything left to put out. The dry puddle with the contents of her stomach was still beside her.

“It looks like I got hit by a train.”

“Close enough. Unfortunately, now that you are awake, we have to leave. We have already risked too much staying here” said the former agent, not without feeling some guilt.

“Shit, why didn't I go back to sleep?” lamented.

“Do you know anything about first aid?” He blurted out, ignoring the whimper.

The firebender's face responded for him.

They then went on, Kuzou skidding the bed, and Ember watching over the surroundings and the "patients".

They walked a lot, always in the shade of the trees to avoid further unwanted tanning, but never entering the forest; it would be impossible to take their friends through it without deforesting it, which, as a result, would cause a gigantic fuss, and a path so obvious that even a baby would be able to follow.

 _What I wouldn't give for a rain right now,_ thought the earthbender.

The sky was completely clear, devoid of any trace of clouds. Those lands have always been arid. The Yellow Hell was what some called the large area that started in the Si Wong Desert and only ended at the extreme limit of the Great Divide. It was an irregular path, almost unrelated if you looked from above, or through a map. However, nothing flourished or lived between the Dunes of Death and the Wild Hole. Some madmen tried to make a pilgrimage on this path; most died. Whether from hunger, thirst, heat stroke, devoured... the list was gigantic.

“How is our situation?” Asked Ember.

“Really?” Kuzou asked, watching the girl sit on the bed.

“What? It is easier this way, I would only delay you on foot” she commented, with the most shameless smile possible on her face.

Laughing, the earthbender jerked the stone bed, which threw the girl back, cursing.

“Anyway, how are we?” She insisted, getting back on her feet on the piece of rock.

“Bad. Only one backpack is left: yours. In other words, we have very few supplies, courtesy of the canyon pests; first aid was all used up in these two and we only have the clothes we are currently wearing, which makes us look like beggars.”

“Wow...” was the only thing she managed to say.

“The only good news is that we still have enough money to keep us from starving. The problem is finding where to buy, since thanks to our friend smashed back there in the canyon, the market we were in is out of the question.”

“So, not exactly good news.”

He nodded in agreement. The situation was indeed not good. However, he had been through worse.

“So, where are we going now?” The firebender was lying next to Rohan, enjoying the shade of the trees that came and went.

Kuzou did not know whether to tell. It would be better to have everyone together when telling the plan.

Luckily, Rohan saved him from that problem.

The giant began to fidget and babble nonsense. Ember immediately changed her stance. She looked at the former agent with a mixture of despair and concern. Her eyes said it all.

_Don't tell them._

In response, he simply ran two fingers over his lips, as if zipping up. More confident, the girl looked back at the colossus, who was starting to cough. Kuzou stopped moving the bed, just in case. He took some water from his canteen and hydrated Rohan.

"Good afternoon," he said, sitting up.

The other two smiled.

They camped farther into the forest, so that everyone could rest. The bed had been unmade, so they carried the nomad together, so as not to ask too much from the giant, regardless how much he insisted on helping. They found a site open enough to accommodate them comfortably, but not open enough for there to be no shade. Yan's new bed was made of sheets.

The former agent took what was left of the cheese block inside Ember's backpack, and handed it to Rohan. He clearly needed it, but he didn't eat it all, instead leaving the rest beside the unconscious airbender.

They brought the colossus up to date on everything that had happened since he blacked out. The earthbender listened to everything with great attention, and then began to thank them. A lot.

Kuzou tried to appease him, unable to contain a smile. The firebender seemed to be somewhere between laughter and concern.

Three hours later Yan finally woke up, and then it was his turn to hear the story. His reactions were much more interesting. His spontaneity brought loud laughter to the clearing. He did not believe what the former agent had done, and it was necessary for the girl to corroborate the facts for him to begin believing in it. On the other hand, he immediately accepted, and even provoked, when Kuzou blurted out that Ember had vomited. The blabber started as usual, but the two earthbenders just had fun with the situation.

As dusk came, and subjects became scarce, the time for departure seemed ever closer. Just like the time to tell the plan.

"I'm starving," Yan complained, having devoured the piece of cheese the instant he woke up. One of the pieces of dried meat had been divided among the four of them, disappearing as fast as the cheese, however unpleasant it may have been to eat it.

"You are not the only one," said the firebender, as usual.

“Well, we still have money, don't we? Let's go back to the market and...”

“No way. That mercenary found us, so the market at that moment must be full of people looking for us.” Interrupted Kuzou. “Including Dai Li, possibly.”

That comment was enough to immediately get the idea out of their heads.

“We have to move. Soon” continued.

“But where? Our plan is over. We don't even have food anymore. It is risky to even buy it!” Exclaimed the girl.

The former agent let the silence weight before he started.

“Well... there are other clandestine markets.”

“Like Merchant Bay at dawn?” Considered Rohan.

“It would be an alternative, were it not for it being the largest market in the world. We wouldn't even be safe in the dark zone of the ‘Pirates Bay’. The moment we stepped there, we would be recognized” he countered. “I have a better alternative in mind.”

Everyone looked at him, waiting. In the sky, the sun was beginning to come close to the horizon, and shadows covered the entire clearing.

“The sandbender’s market is a good option.”

“But... isn't it in the middle of the Si Wong desert?” Yan seemed worried about the way that conversation was going.

“Yes, which, in this case, is perfect” replied Kuzou.

Confused faces surrounded him.

"You have a plan," said the giant. It hadn't been a question.

_Here goes nothing..._

“Yes. Same as before.”

“But Norkka ran away...” said the nomad.

“... like the coward he is” completed the colossus.

The former agent was always surprised at how Rohan's calm and measured demeanor changed whenever Norkka was involved. He needed to find out the connection between the two, but that would have to wait for another time. The current issue was more important.

“Yes, yes... but the plan didn't die. Norkka told us to meet him near another one of his bases of operations.”

The silence lasted until the most impatient person in the group broke it, just as Kuzou expected.

“Where?” Asked Ember, confused.

He made a point of looking directly at the giant before answering. It was his reaction that mattered. His face was already worried.

“Gaoling.”

Yan's face showed only tiredness, probably thinking that he would have to cross half a world. Again. The nomad had not yet made the connection, Kuzou realized.

However, the reaction of the other two was more interesting. Ember looked worried and frightened at the colossus. He, in turn, did not even notice the girl.

 _As usual...,_ he thought.

Rohan's face went from suspicion to surprise, from surprise to suspicion, from suspicion to irritation, and then finally, to resolution.

“It's a trap.” It was the first time he saw the colossus so agitated.

"Perhaps..." he began.

“I'm not considering it, I'm affirming it” cut off the giant, being impolite for the first time, without even realizing it. “I'm sure it's a trap.”

Once again, Kuzou observed the faces of his companions. Leaving the determined Rohan behind for seconds, the other reactions were revealed. Yan was still lost, looking from one to the other, confused. As always.

Curiously, Ember was the most interesting to read of the three. Her face showed fear. A fear of the future and of being discovered. He noticed that she knew something, but that no one knew that she knew. More specifically, Rohan didn't know that she knew.

Then he resumed looking at the giant in the next second, without even the colossus noticing the deviation in his eyes.

Before the former agent responded, however, he was again interrupted by another display of rudeness from the most courteous being he knew.

“Don't tell me you trust him?” the earthbender seemed to challenge him.

“I trust his fear. He knows that helping me is much cheaper than contradicting me” he explained.

That Yan logic understood. And agreed.

But the giant seemed no less determined.

“You're underestimating that worm. He's out of reach, he can do whatever he wants. He must have reported us by now,” spat Rohan.

Kuzou had to restrain himself from starting an interrogation right there about their relationship. There was little time left of day and they needed to leave.

"So we better get going," was what he answered.

“To Gaoling?” taunted the giant. “Straight into the trap?”

“Regardless of Norkka himself, I know about every single one of his hiding places. He is unaware of this fact. We are nowhere near as good at counterfeiting as he is, but we will survive without it. Is that what you want to hear? So yes, let's go to Gaoling.”

“If that’s the case, why don't we go to one of the nearest bases? Like the one on the riverbank he mentioned, close by?” He asked.

_Heavens_

“Because it is always a good ideia to move as much as possible. Besides, there’s a port near your hometown that is perfect for us to disappear. It is very small and not very busy.”

“I admit that it is a good idea to confuse our pursuers by making our way back...” Yan tried, wanting to participate in the conversation “but wouldn't we be risking bumping at them along the way just as well? After all, I doubt that that city is no longer under surveillance...”

Kuzou responded before Rohan could use that argument as a weapon.

“Because we're going the other way. We are going through the great desert.”

That silenced everyone. Even the giant changed his posture, surprised.

“We take the opportunity and buy groceries at the sandbender’s market. When we arrive at the Misty Palms Oasis, we’ll head west, towards the mountains. We will enter Gaoling through them, through its ‘backdoor’. Thus we will hardly be noticed.”

“But this is suicide. We will never survive the entire desert on foot” argued the nomad. He had no good experiences with deserts.

“We ‘rent’ one of the sandbender’s boats. With one of those we can cross the desert in four days. An airbender can handle them almost as well as a sandbender. Besides that...”

"It is a long and arduous road to take just to throw ourselves into the arms of death," hissed the giant.

_Enough, we already took too long_

“Great!” Exclaimed Kuzou, standing up and turning towards the colossus. “Enough time for you to tell us your long stories with Norkka. How do you know so much about him and why are you so angry about it, for example.”

He was the tallest in the group, but he barely hit the giant's chest. This, however, did not diminish the authority that he passed through his voice. The aura he released was as overwhelming as his friend’s size. Yan and Ember had risen, but they didn't dare stand between them. They wouldn't even know what to do if they did.

“We have three days until the desert. You can also tell us about how you really escaped those cells as an appetizer, before the main course, how about that?” Asked the former agent.

With perfect timing, the trees completely obscured the sun, darkening the clearing. Rohan seemed to wilt a little, caught with something he was not ready for.

It was Ember's turn to show confusion. Yan covered his mouth in astonishment, like a refined woman looking at something risqué. Hilarious, in any other circumstance.

Taking advantage of the sudden silence, Kuzou collected their things, put them in his backpack and started walking in the direction in which they had entered the forest.

After the astonishment passed, the nomad hurried to follow his companion. Looking back, he saw that the girl was trying to convince the colossus to do the same. The giant simply ignored her and started to follow them from afar, with the girl in pursuit.

“My Gyatso...” was just what the airbender managed to say.

The former agent remained silent.

“Are you sure about this?”

The courage Yan had to muster to ask that question was unbelievable.

“The lesser evil.” that's all he said.

Things weren’t good, and unity was needed to overcome what they were facing. But without them all opening up, trust was impossible. Sometimes it was necessary to take a step back to take two steps forward. Just as that back there had been necessary.

Still, Kuzou's head was racing, always thinking ahead. He did not rule out a trap. And he certainly wouldn't be caught unprepared. Whatever it was, he would face it head on.

And after that, alternative plans would not be lacking. Always one step ahead of your enemies, as his captain used to say.

Just like ‘read everyone, and you will never be caught off guard.’

Walking beside him, nervous, his friend only thought about one thing. His personal mantra.

_Shit, shit,shit,shit,shitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshit..._


	11. Chapter 10: Dunes (Part 1)

It took six long days of travel to the northern border of the desert. Six silent days, with few words spoken and great tension in the air.

Kuzou was always ahead, guiding the way and actions of the group. Yan was at his side, distributing food to his companions - after eating, of course. Rohan was at the back, far enough to guarantee the tension, but close enough to hear the instructions given. Ember was at his side, but she couldn't get a word out of the giant, leaving her increasingly depressed.

Despite tensions, they managed to reach their destination without problem, successfully evading the guards of the great - and only - bridge that separated them from the southern part of the Earth Kingdom. There were no signs they were being pursued, so the walk was relatively calm and slow. The only problems seemed to be the sun and having to chew the damn dried meat, which for some reason they decided to buy in more quantity back in the clandestine market a few days ago.

As usual, they stopped to rest just before the desert, which already covered the entire northern horizon. No clouds floated in the skies, leaving the view of the north completely blue and yellow. Beautiful, but terrible at the same time. That would be a serious problem.

 _We're going to die,_ thought Yan, every fifteen minutes. Miles and miles frying under the sun, without a single shadow. The nomad already suffered in advance. And he was not the only one, judging by the faces surrounding him.

“What now?” Let out Ember, desperate to break the unpleasant silence.

Kuzou was slow to answer the question.

“Just ahead, a little into the desert, there is a small station for sandbenders. We should be able to get a boat there. Then we will go to another post in the middle of the desert for supplies.

Then the silence returned. No one else had anything else to say; they rested enough and started walking again, in the same pattern as before.

The sand roasted their feet and the sun did the rest. The little breeze there was only brought more warm air. They already could see the horizon trembling from the heat. However, not even the heat broke the tension; if it did anything, it was intensify it.

Luckily, they soon arrived at the small station. There was a fair amount of clay houses, which housed from bars to craft shops. Several sand boats were scattered on the "streets" formed by the spaces between the houses. People walked the sand-covered streets, all wearing standard desert clothing, most with details that identified them as sandbenders. The rest was made up of lost people and deluded tourists. All easy prey.

“I don't like the way they look at us...” Yan said, nervous.

The eyes followed them around the village. They did not seem to be welcome.

“We're being evaluated. Be very careful now. Pay attention to your pockets and surroundings” warned Kuzou, making his own assessment of people.

“And what would they steal? Not even our clothes would serve as good loot at the moment,” Rohan nudged, speaking for the first time since the Great Division.

The former agent simply ignored the comment.

They went on, quiet and attentive. At the end of the village, they found what could have been an equivalent to a port for sand boats.

"There. We can rent a boat there," said the earthbender.

“We don't have enough money to rent a boat. What makes you think they would lend us one?” Spat the giant.

"I'm going to bargain," replied the other dryly.

“What if it doesn't work?” Asked the nomad, fearful.

“Then we’ll have to... improvise.”

Everyone understood the meaning of those words.

Yan approached Kuzou, with a thought that didn't want to leave his head.

“Do you think they know who we are? Have the posters arrived here yet?”

They stopped in front of the curtain that separated them from establishment that controlled the port.

“We’re about to find out.”

The answer did not appear to be positive.

The interior had all the characteristics of a tavern. There were tables, shouting and drinking galore. A lot of booze. It was dark, like a cave, and it looked bigger from the inside than from the outside. An almost imperceptible counter was pressed to the left, where only one person could be seen. The noise did not stop when they entered, but Kuzou would not be fooled into thinking that they were not noticed.

It was not difficult to find the person in charge. He was in the back, surrounded by ass-lickers, sitting in the most luxurious part of the place. If anything inside there could be considered a luxury. It was noisy there, but it was somewhat controlled, unlike the rest of the bar/port. It was obvious he was the leader of some sandbender gang or faction.

The former agent went straight to him, determined and firm, with the pack close behind.

They were soon noticed, perhaps because of Kuzou's sudden movements. Or Rohan’s size.

None of them moved, but conversations at the table stopped. And the buzz from others seemed to subside.

“I imagine you own the place. We would like to rent a boat” began the former agent.

The gang leader raised his eyebrow and adjusted himself in the chair.

“Straight to the point, huh?” He commented, with a small smile on his face. The sandbender assessed them from top to bottom. “Well then. Ten thousand gold coins.”

Everyone at the table seemed to smile.

“We only have yuan...” replied the earth bender.

"No problem," interrupted the gang leader. “We are ‘civilized’.” Chuckles sounded around him. “Twenty five thousand yuan.”

Everyone present, on both sides, knew how little that conversion was precise.

Kuzou took a deep breath before continuing. That was clearly a provocation.

“It will be a short trip. In two days, the boat will be back in your hands, intact and clean.” All three of his companions knew he was lying.

“Really?” Exclaimed the sand folder, with exaggerated joy. “Twenty three thousand it is then for these kind people!”

Now the laughter came from all directions.

“How about this, we give you five thousand now as a guarantee, and the rest when we get back?” bartered the former agent.

“How about the other way around? Deal?” He countered, with a bigger smile on his face.

“We are going to do a job at Oasis, so we will only have that amount later. We can pay 25% more when we get back, what do you think?”

“Tempting...” The leader pretended to consider. “What are you going to do there? I doubt you can do much with these clothes.”

Everyone around them now sported smiles.

“In fact, I think that even if we robbed you, we would barely make two hundred yuan out of it.”

They had more than that, but his observation was still quite on point.

The gang leader stood up, and his henchmen followed suit.

“But I figure two hundred yuan is better than nothing, right?” He hissed, with a crude, vile smile.

The knife came from out of his field of vision, hitting the back of Kuzou's shoulder. The impact made him kneel. Later he would find out that the small counter clerk did it. Almost every sandbender at the bar stood up.

Everyone in the group was taken by surprise.

“Don’t move,” threatened the leader, pointing at them, also with a knife. “Or you will suffer worse than him...”

Again, surprise dominated the place. But this time from the bar patrons.

Before the sandbender ended the threat, Kuzou raised his non-damaged arm, which caused the table, made of clay, to fly at an incredible speed towards the man, crushing him on the wall.

The other members of the group wasted no time. Rohan, challenging his size, turned 180 degrees at the blink of an eye. This caused the roof to collapse, closing the path between them and the rest of the bar, and crushing anyone who was unfortunate enough to be too close. Ember roasted the henchmen on the right, and Yan threw away those on the left.

The former agent stood up, a grimace of pain on his face. Then he walked towards the leader, still pressed against the wall, semi-conscious. He didn't even look at the bastard twice. He bent the table again and used it to make a hole in the wall, leading to the boatyard. The man ended between two boats, bleeding from the waist down.

“Go up on the left one, now! Yan, you drive,” he ordered.

Everyone obeyed, and soon the bar full of angry benders was behind them.

“They'll come after us, you know this, right?” warned the giant. However, for the first time in days, there was no poison in his voice.

 _Nothing like a nice bar fight to rekindle friendships_ , the former agent quipped to himself.

“More people chasing us. Big deal,” Ember joked.

She took the words out of Kuzou's mouth.

It would be an interesting crossing.

Luckily, the sun was against them, which allowed them to protect themselves in the sail’s shade. The boat sailed through the dunes as if they were waves, but the shaking was much rougher. Yan did his best to mitigate this, even though he had never handled a boat like that before, as he knew that every slight jolt would hurt Kuzou. Too bad he was failing miserably at that job.

The knife was still lodged in his shoulder blade, creating a throbbing pain and preventing any significant movement of his left arm. A red stain spread across the clothing from the wound. His cold sweat went unnoticed by the heat. Soon he would have a fever.

Rohan, seated behind the wounded man, watched everything, concerned. He had to admit, Kuzou was tough. The pain was obvious, but he barely showed it in his expression, nor had he complained.

"We have to get this out," said the giant.

Without wanting to let the subject die, especially one started by Rohan, Ember wasted no time in complementing:

“Why the hell haven't you taken it off yet, by the way?”

 _Classic Ember,_ laughed Kuzou inside. Yan thought the same thing, but not so warmly.

"Because the knife, despite everything, is preventing blood loss," replied the former agent, like a teacher. “I can only remove it if I treat the wound immediately.”

Silence washed over the boat. No one there was a healer, or had a clue on how to treat this kind of wound. Kuzou read on everyone's faces how that fact bothered them. None of them knew what to do, and everyone was concerned about what would happen to him.

The earthbender smiled happily deep inside.

"Well, then, let's deal with this at once," he blurted out, looking at his companions.

“You know what to do?” Asked Rohan.

"Is there anything I don't know?" joked the former agent.

Ember gave an unobtrusive cough, and Kuzou was sure she thought back at the time they shared food in the Canyon. He gave her a sly look that said "quiet", and she replied with a mischievous smile.

“Why didn't you speak up sooner, then?” Asked the giant.

“Because I need your help, and it is not for something easy. It is going to be rough.”

Rohan frowned in concentration, prepared for whatever came. Ember did a classic Ember.

“Do you doubt me? Nice faith in us, huh?” Her tone did not make it clear whether it was a joke or if she meant it, but the former agent knew it was a mixture of the two.

“Fine then. Rohan, when I give the signal, I need you to pull the knife out. I would do it myself, but unfortunately, I can't reach it. And do it firmly, if you falter, the wound may worsen.”

The giant was slow to show a reaction, but when he did, he was resolute. He understood the seriousness of the situation. It was noticeable that this kind of circumstance was not new to him.

Ember, though...

With that information alone, she got pale. _I knew it,_ thought Kuzou. She was obviously still an innocent girl, no matter how tough she acted. Unfortunately, she would have with the worst part.

“Ember...” The girl focused on him, nervousness etched on her face. “Your part is the most important. And the most... painful.”

He knew he had said the wrong word before he had even finished saying it. However, the firebender tried not to show it, and remained focused. He decided to move on. The cut hurt a lot, and if he didn't treat it soon, things would get worse. He tore the shirt he was wearing and handed it to the other earthbender. That would be useful later.

“Immediately after Rohan removes the knife, you will have to cauterize the wound.”

With perfect timing, the boat took a sudden hit, as if to emphasize his words. The former agent could not help but let out a light curse.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry..." exclaimed Yan behind him, his voice slowly dying out of shame.

“Understood?” continued, looking into the girl's eyes. “You can only stop when I say so, okay?”

She nodded slowly.

“You remember what we have to do here, right?” Kuzou had passed this on to them earlier, as a guarantee, and now he prayed that they would remember.

"Yes, but why..." began Ember.

"Rohan, " called the former agent, cutting off the firebender.

He saw in the giant's eyes that all kinds of disagreements had disappeared. Only concern remained. He put his good hand on his huge shoulders as a sign of solidarity, and he understood the message.

“But what...” tried the girl again.

“Now, Rohan.”

Without thinking twice, the earthbender grabbed the dagger’s handle and pulled it out with a strong, clean tug. Kuzou let out a small groan.

Ember trembled, paralyzed in place, but Rohan's gaze made her move. She put her hands lightly over the cut, which was now bleeding, but failed to produce a flame.

“Make compressed flames to burn just the cut area, but be incisive. The weaker the flame, the longer it will hurt” instructed the former agent, trying to hurry her up gently.

The firebender continued to tremble. As if noticing, Rohan came over and grabbed her wrist, reassuring her. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and concentrated.

The flames shone brightly, but insignificantly against the overwhelming sunlight. Ember felt the earthbender's body tremble and tighten against her hand, but she forced herself to continue. At least until she heard the screaming.

Kuzou had managed not to scream as much as he could, but he wasn’t made of steel. Tears streamed down his face as they hadn't in years, and his teeth were under so much pressure it looked like they would soon crack. He then noticed he had forgotten something to bite, specifically for the situation in hand. However, it's not like there was any option available, unless he fancied ripping a piece off his own arm.

The girl, desperate, tried to remove her hand, but Rohan, holding her wrist, stopped her.

“A little... longer... please...” said the wounded man, after felling her hand hesitate.

With no choice and teary eyed, she continued.

“...good... good...enough...” Kuzou whispered, doing so as not to scare her anymore.

Her hand russhed away. Opening her eyes at last, she saw the former agent kneeling in front of her, leaning on his only good arm. The giant was beside her, supportive, while Yan looked directly at her, kneeling beside the wounded man. It was then she realized the boat had stopped moving.

"You... did... well..." groaned Kuzou, still looking at the floor. A burn was found where there had once been a deep cut. “Now... if you'll... excuse me...”

Then he collapsed on the boat’s floor, passed out.


	12. Chapter 11: Dunes (Part 2)

The silence created by shock took over the group. But it wouldn't last long; seizing the opportunity, Rohan took the initiative, before the other two left the stupor and began to despair.

“Yan” the nomad turned his eyes to him. “Resume driving, quick. We are still being pursued.”

The airbender did not respond or act immediately. He seemed to want to start talking. His face made it clear that it would be nothing constructive. The giant interrupted him with an energetic order, and finally the boat started to move.

In the end, he didn't have to worry too much about Ember. She was too focused on what she had just done to speak or do something characteristic of herself. It was enough to ask her to take care of Kuzou and the girl agreed without a blink, despite the discomfort she felt every time she saw the burn.

Rohan had understood very well what that hand on his shoulder had meant. The responsibility was his now. He had to take care of them and guide them out of that place. He had never been any kind of leader or boss in his life, but he knew he was better in the role than Yan or Ember. He had no choice but to do his best to act as the former agent would and keep them safe.

A few hours passed in relative silence. Kuzou was still unconscious.

They had to take a break for Yan to rest. The nomad threw himself on the wooden floor, his arms throbbing with pain. He had bent non-stop over the last few hours, with all his strength. The giant was proud, but he knew he would soon have to ask the poor guy to bend again. They were on the run, and the sandbenders had many advantages over them. They could be attacked at anytime.

“Yan.” He called. The nomad groaned in response. “When you start driving again…” Another groan. “Change course to southwest.”

“But...” Shy, Ember started talking for the first time in hours. “Isn't the sandbender station southeast? I believe we are quite close, in fact.”

Mentally, the airbender thanked the girl. He wanted to ask the same question, but didn't even have the strength to speak.

“Yes, but I believe we cannot risk it. We would be heading straight to enemy territory, and I doubt that the sandbenders there aren’t already aware of our theft.” Replied Rohan.

“But we don't have a choice, do we? We barely have any supplies, ” she said.

“Indeed. But I did some calculations, and with some effort, we will be able to reach the Oasis sometime after nightfall. There we can resupply with less pressure. We won't have to worry about a horde of sandbenders on top of us, as they have no power there.”

“We will have another problem in a tourist place like that. It is surely full of posters of us.” She was upset.

"It's our best bet," insisted the giant, in a light tone, to calm her down. “Perhaps we can even take a shower.”

That idea tempted Ember enough for her to accept. Rohan understood perfectly. None of them had been able to wash themselves since this madness started. The best they could do was a dip in a river from time to time, and that was hardly ideal. Not to mention that they had to put on the same clothes after the dive, and only went one at a time, for reasons of modesty. A decent shower would be a blessing.

"In that case, what are we waiting for?" Yan said, forcing himself to get up. “But screw you, bath's priority is mine.”

After the surprise, both of the others laughed lightly.

"Let’s go," encouraged Rohan.

Then they moved towards a possible dream bath.

The night in the desert was a beautiful and soothing thing. The stars filled a sky that looked more like a painter's canvas. The great yellow sea approached the dark color of the sky, and the sounds seemed to go to sleep along with the sun, bringing only the rustle of the breeze across the great blue dunes. It all brought a feeling of relaxation. Peace.

However, this did not stop it from being treacherous as well. While the day in the desert was scorching, to the point of being easily capable of killing; the night was cruel in its coldness. As if it mocked all poor travelers who were begging for the sweet touch of an icy wind, she sent them the cold they so much dreamed of, but with overwhelming intent. A cold also capable of killing a man. That’s something those ignorant of the realities of a desert would find ridiculous. To freeze to death in a desert seemed like ridiculous idea, but the truth was that this was a very common death.

Yan, incidentally, was one of those ignorant people. He had been so happy when the sun started to set, and a cool breeze finally found him. His short experience in the Small Desert had not taught him much; after all, that desert was indeed small. Yan didn't know, but he had taken the long way through it, and had been lost several times. A desert of that size could not show one much. Therefore, when the night settled on the dunes, the cold caught up with him.

The nomad did not take long to reach his limit, and soon stopped controlling the boat in order to curse.

"Deserts are like that," managed to say Rohan, after the other's exaltation. He intended to say more, but wanted to save heat. So cold it was, one could see his breath.

Actually, although everyone present was shaking and trying to preserve as much body heat as possible - even Kuzou had been covered in an improvised mantle - only he seemed to be surprised by the matter.

Ember moved and seemed to be trying to gather energy to say something. After some effort and some stuttering, she managed to utter an understandable word.

“Moron”

Yan was going to commit a homicide.

“I suggest we keep moving, Master Yan," released the giant, interrupting (intentionally) whatever the airbender was going to do. “I know it seems difficult, but keeping yourself in movement, you will be in better condition than us” he explained, after seeing the incredulous face the nomad made.

“We have a firebender, damn it! Why aren't we using it?” He exclaimed in reply.

The desire was to say things that are more inappropriate about her, but he decided to restrain himself. After all, they might need the girl. He never thought he would need to turn to her, but he also never thought he would ask for warmth in life after that hellish day. The world was a crazy place.

“We are in a boat made primarily of wood. It wouldn't be very wise,” replied Rohan calmly.

He looked at Ember. The earthbender had decided to omit the part that the girl must have also been a little shaken from using her skills earlier. Burning someone from afar could be “easy”, but watching suffering firsthand was quite another thing. The firebenders carried a heavy burden on their powers.

Frowning, the airbender turned around.

And they started moving again, despite the pilot's ill will.

Thanks Gyatso, a few hours later they were able to see the lights of the Oasis. Excited, Yan gathered the rest of his forces and accelerated the boat. He couldn't wait to relax. The only thing that had kept him on his feet moving that piece of wreck was his happy daydreams about the wonders he would find in that piece of paradise lost in the middle of the deadly dunes.

However, Rohan soon took him out of his happy place.

“Stop here, please.”

The nomad stopped airbending out of sheer disbelief.

The giant was prepared and interrupted him before he transformed the exasperation on his face into words.

“Let's ‘camp’ here, so to speak. Let's rest and talk about the plan.”

The "plan", in Yan's head, was to take a three-hour bubble bath while eating a wonderful chicken with buttery potatoes and getting a shoulder massage afterwards.

Ember, who had lay down a few hours ago, sat down, trying to look as focused as possible.

“We can't all enter the city, or park too close to it. We are fugitives and we have a weakened man here. Therefore, we are going to divide into two groups. I will be taking care of Kuzou, and you two will go to Oasis to buy food and medicine” Rohan informed at once, trying to prevent any unnecessary complaints.

He had been pondering that idea for hours, and it seemed the least worse. How the hell the former agent had been able to do this for the past few weeks without a break and in what seemed like mere seconds, he couldn't say. He looked at the wounded man lying beside him full of respect, before continuing:

“Cover yourself as much as possible, without looking too suspicious, obviously. Luckily, I think what you see most in this place are people covered in robes. Ember” The girl straightened up “I suggest you cover your mouth with your cloak. It is usually a common practice for women. Yan” The nomad still had a dull look on his face “put your hair up, maybe in a ponytail. So you two will look different from your images on the posters.” At least a little. It was the best he could think of. “Do you understand?”

The firebender seemed to process the information and then nodded slightly. The airbender was still thinking about the chicken. And about another detail.

“Wait, why both of us?” He complained. The girl shot him angry eyes.

 _Predictable,_ thought the earthbender.

“You are the...” He was going to say “smallest”, but preferred not to. “…most ‘common’ looking among us. You guys are the ones that draw the least attention.”

“Least attention? This girl will likely yell to people we are fugitives.” As always, the nomad was full of animosity.

The girl looked like she was going to attack, but took a quick look at the giant, and reconsidered. And remained quiet. That attitude surprised even Yan.

Rohan took advantage of the gap left in the conversation:

“Attitudes can be controlled” Ember seemed to shrink “height cannot. Would you prefer me to go?”

The airbender remained silent.

“It is not safe for someone to go alone, and a couple...” The nomad's eyelid trembled. “of... ‘acceptable"’ height, is more common, therefore, safer.”

The earthbender had no malice in making that comment about stature; after all, if there was one thing that the man nicknamed “the giant” did not quite understand, it was a size considered “normal”. However, the nomad felt that word right in the middle of his self-esteem. His eyelid had another slight spasm.

Surprising again, Ember already had her "disguise" ready and was staring at Yan, as if to say: "Hey, are you going to get ready soon or not?"

Rohan remained silent. The discussion seemed to be over.

With a bitter taste in his mouth, the nomad began to tie his hair up.

The Misty Palm Oasis was by far the busiest spot in the entire Si Wong desert. It had grown exponentially in the last century, reaching the point of becoming one of the biggest tourist spots in the world, in addition to the third largest market in the world, behind only Merchant Bay on the eastern border of the United Nations Republic, and the Zhang tribe’s market. However, because it is a tourist spot, the Oasis market had specific types of products, which set it apart from the others. And if it was about desert products, there was no better place.

All of this culminated in a city that lit up the great desert, a city that seemed to breathe the night air as if it were its own. The days at the Oasis were calm and serene, letting the desert shine while it prepared for its turn. At night, then, the city woke up, with its thousands of lights around every corner and alleyway, without hiding a thing. The sound of countless voices filled every street and establishment, and then they went on in perpetual motion, as if they were the city's bloodstream. To live at the Oasis was to live a primarily nocturnal and busy life.

When Yan and Ember arrived there, huddled in their cloaks, the city was in full swing. Such movement would scare them; but only after they were able to absorb the whole scene, marveling at every corner. The girl looked sick, so much she was moving. Her eyes shone with the reflection of thousands of lights. Even the nomad was absorbed in that beautiful place. It seemed that his happy place was not just part of his daydreams. His mouth was already salivating, feeling the proximity of the dream chicken.

Both continued to walk in a straight line in stunned silence, without paying much attention to where they were going. Luckily, stores with the items they needed were not lacking, so they ended up bumping into one.

When they came to, they started shopping. They had to bargain a lot, as they were not in the best of financial conditions, but soon they got at least the basics so they wouldn't die the next day. But no clothes or necessary accessories. And so few were the medicines they had that it would barely help. The situation was so depressing that it was not even necessary to control their consumerist instincts. They had no way to buy anything.

They started walking at random, with another mood this time around.

People hardly noticed them. The number of people had worried Yan before, but now he saw that it had turned out to be useful. They were almost invisible. The giant might have been right after all...

_Acceptable... height…_

Spasm in the eye.

The nomad looked at the hot head beside him, who was crestfallen just like him. She looked very young. Discreetly, he approached and straightened up. The girl didn't seem to notice.

 _We are almost the same size_. He was bigger, of course, but only about two fingers, approximately. Perhaps their age was not that different. After all, appearances are deceiving. So the height issue would make perfect sense.

“How old are you?” He asked, all of the sudden.

The firebender was obviously taken by surprise. She was in the middle of her own daydreams.

The nomad repeated when he realized that the girl had not understood. He could almost hear the gears turning inside her head. Her face started to blush as she put things in place, and showed a mixture of shame, irritation and apprehension.

“What the hell kind of question is that out of nowhere? Why do you want to know?” She spat.

Yan did not intend to answer the truth. But he hadn't thought of an excuse, either. Kuzou would probably have something already on the tip of his tongue.

_What would he do in this situation?_

“Ehr... because...” he needed a scapegoat “... Rohan asked... for our... mission... and such...”

 _Nicely done! A mission! Are we secret agents now? You moron, what a shit excuse,_ he thought.

He figured he was going to be beaten, or at least receive a withering look. However, her reaction seemed to change when she heard the giant's name.

_What the…?_

"S... S-seventeen..." she stammered.

She looked insecure, but the nomad didn't even notice it. He had frozen in place.

_Wait, it worked?_

The girl interpreted the shock on his face as something else.

“B-but I'm going to be eighteen in a month!” She shouted, exasperated and red-faced.

Only then did he process the information.

_Seventeen years..._

It was as if an anvil had fallen onto his shoulders. It was a difference of almost ten years...

The nomad did not have much time to be depressed, however. His eye had caught a drop in the movement of the street. As he looked around, he noticed that several people were staring at them. Their faces did not show much warmth.

His own gears started to turn this time. Ember had spoken a little too loudly, but what had she said again...

_Oh, fuck me_

The pieces had all fallen into place in his mind. Hurriedly, he took the firebender by the wrist, trying to get them out of there as quickly as possible. Luckily, her surprise kept her quiet long enough for them to distance themselves from people's hearing range.

“Hey, what's up? What happened?” She asked finally. She tried to break free.

“I'll tell you when you're older.”

When Kuzou opened his eyes, the constellations welcomed him.

Despite feeling better, he decided not to move. Someone had turned him over and covered him with a cloak. He was grateful inside, thanks to that he was comfortable; and, being comfortable, he wouldn't have to move anytime soon. Any movement could bring back some pain.

The city seen from the outside was indeed beautiful. Its various sources of illumination blinded the stars above, and illuminated the desert around it in an almost perfect circle.

He realized that Rohan had made sure to stop the boat away from that circle of light, hiding in the darkness. They were invisible to anyone looking from inside the Oasis. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for those who came from outside.

Aware of this, the giant patrolled the night, looking for any indication of the arrival of their latest pursuers. They seemed safe, for now. As safe as possible for their situation, at least.

Rohan turned around with the intention of doing something, but stopped when he realized that his "patient" had woken up. Kuzou raised his good arm slightly to greet him.

“How are you feeling?” Asked the giant, sitting down beside him. Concern was seen on his face.

“Better. A night's sleep works wonders,” he joked. The other one smiled. “How long did I sleep, anyway?” He had the impression that it was quite a lot.

“I believe about seven hours, approximately. But I'm not sure, I lost track of time.”

If that was the case, it was the first time he had a decent night in weeks. He really felt refreshed, despite his injuries.

"I sent the ‘storm couple’ to the city to get supplies," said the giant, not wanting to let the subject die.

The former agent laughed. It hurt, but it didn't matter.

“Soon, they must be returning with medicines to treat your back, besides food, of course.”

Kuzou smiled at that optimism. He was fully aware of the group's financial conditions - controlling the budget was one of his many tasks - so he had no illusions about the amount of things they would bring from the Oasis. He knew that what they would achieve would be insignificant, and that they would soon be back to square one, but he did not intend to spoil anyone's mood that night. He just agreed.

“And how are you?” That question took the giant by surprise.

With everything that was going on, even Rohan himself had forgotten that he was weak as well. The burns made by the mercenary were still clearly visible. Yan had done his best back there at the Canyon, and although it was nothing more than first aid, it had helped a lot.

“Better as well. Master Yan saved me back there. Anyway, my wounds are superficial compared to yours” he replied.

Despite this, the giant tried not to show that he was happy with the question, just as he was relieved that the responsibility for taking care of the group was no longer entirely his. He might not be completely free, after all, the other one was still too wounded to perform all of his duties, but he could count on his wisdom, which was the most important part. The former agent, for his part, had perceived both feelings, as expected; however, his success in hiding this detail was far greater than that of his friend.

An uncomfortable silence came over them.

As he knew that the giant would not dare to break it to start a delicate matter with him in that state, he decided to do the "honors". He woke up not thirty minutes ago, but he knew it was necessary. Perhaps there was no other opportunity that good.

“Rohan” The earth bender straightened up. He seemed to understand his tone. “We need to talk.”

As expected, when he guessed what was coming next, his expression changed. He turned his face away, as if trying to end the matter before it even started. However, the previous hostility was no longer there. It was time.

“Do you still intend to go to Gaoling after Norkka?” He asked.

Kuzou nodded slightly, as much as he could without feeling a twinge of pain.

“We have to go. It's our best chance...”

"No, it isn't," interrupted the other earthbender. “You will find nothing in Gaoling but disgrace. I know, I have lived there all my life.”

The scorn for his homeland was very apparent in his voice. Still without taking his eyes off the sky, the former agent raised his eyebrow. Things became more and more interesting.

“From Norkka, the only thing you will receive is a stab in the back” The giant remembered the other's wound and immediately regretted having used that expression. However, he remained firm.

This time, however, he was interrupted.

“He must have done something very serious for this matter to cause this level of change in you.”

For a while, no one said anything.

A perfect opportunity for a facial reading. All his reactions followed the pattern: irritation, distrust, shrinking as if trying to prevent information from leaking, etc.

However, the first reaction that interested him. He could have sworn he saw Rohan blush. Slightly, sure, but noticeable to his eyes. Kuzou could have been wrong about that, but a piece fit that puzzle.

The giant had realized he was being analyzed.

“Don't jump to conclusions. You may make a mistake that you will regret later,” he spat. This time, it was contempt that his tone showed. But not for him. Not even for Norkka, at least not directly, Kuzou realized.

 _Hm, complicated,_ thought the former agent. However, he was far from being disarmed.

“Well, enlighten me, then. That way you will avoid any kind of misunderstanding, right? Everyone wins.”

The giant turned his face again. His expression made it clear: He didn't trust him, nor did he like his "tactics". Kuzou sighed.

_I'm doing my best here. Help me help you, for fucks sake._

“Rohan”

His voice surprised the giant. Not because of imperiousness, this time; on the contrary, he sounded concerned, friendly. Even slightly sad. It disarmed him, in a way.

“I know very well what you think of me. What you _all_ think of me. Sorry, but I can't do anything about it, that's who I am. I'm not asking you to trust me with your personal problems, or with anything for that matter. I also know that no matter what I do, nothing will be enough to remove this distrust of my past; and believe me, I understand. However, if I wanted to harm you, I could have done it countless times before. None of you are stuck with me, we can split up at any time you wish; I can leave, if it allows you guys to sleep better at night.

Rohan looked like he had been slapped in the face. He would never expect such an outburst from the former agent. Suddenly, he began to feel ashamed of himself. Since they met, the man lying in front of him had done his best to keep them safe. He respected him immensely for everything he had done and for what he was capable of, but for the first time he realized that he had not seen him until that moment as a human being. Someone with feelings, defects and desires. He didn't even know Kuzou well. He didn't even know his age. All words escaped him; all he could think about was his shame.

“I just want to help. So please help me help you, ” pleaded the wounded earthbender.

With a sudden movement, the giant knelt and leaned his forehead against the wood of the boat.

“My apologies! Please forgive me, master Kuzou!” He exclaimed.

Because he had his head down, he ended up missing the rare scene that was to see the former agent surprised. Soon a smile crossed his face, and he looked at the stars again.

“It’s all right. No need for that” he replied, slightly embarrassed, but grateful. “And we've all said already: there’s no need for such good manners. It looks like I'm your owner, or something.”

“Sir, then?” Said the other. He had got up, now he just sat on his legs. Kuzou laughed, not sure if he was joking or being serious.

 _Perhaps both,_ he thought.

“Anyway” decided to continue the subject at hand. Time was not exactly on their side. “I want to make it clear that I don't want to pressure or corner you. You don't have to tell me details or anything like that. I just want you to tell me what you think is necessary, what is related to what we are going to face. If you think that nothing is relevant to the subject, you can remain silent, and I will understand. So, what exactly do you want to tell me?”

Rohan thought for a moment.

And then he decided to tell.

Yan stopped arguing after they reached the city center.

They had been swearing at each other for a long time, without realizing how deep they were into the Oasis. The nomad would have been concerned about this fact if he were not delighted with what he was observing.

When Ember followed his gaze, after realizing that her offenses were being ignored, she was also delighted.

In the center of the city, there was one of the largest and most beautiful fountains in the world. Several people could swim at its base with ease. From the center of its “pool”, a thick metal structure came out, which spread upwards as if it were a steel tree. At the end of each “branch”, there was a shallow basin filled with water that constantly overflowed, filling the basins below and running the crystalline liquid through grooves in the branches, which then met with the other currents in the main “trunk”. Several jets of water flew through the air, coming from the most varied points, from the base, up to the highest rods. At the top of the structure was a small irregular crystalline pyramid that caused small rainbows to form whenever water hit it.

A large square surrounded it; all paved with stones the color of dark clay. Bars and restaurants filled its border, teeming with people. It was noticeable that was the best kept area in the Oasis. Only the city center was completely paved; near the city's borders, the streets were pure sand. It was like everything culminated there.

The firebender ran towards the fountain. For a moment, Yan worried she was going to jump in and start swimming - a tempting idea, he had to admit - but thanks Gyatso she just fiddled with the water while looking around. The nomad decided to approach it.

"My Sozin, it’s so beautiful," exclaimed Ember.

"Yes. And on top of that, it's a historic point," he commented.

The girl looked confused.

“Here in this place was a big block of ice. Several avatars came by and admired it. It snubbed the desert, enduring its heat without melting for hundreds of years.”

The admiration in his voice made the firebender move away a little. He didn't even notice.

“And where is this impossible ice?” She scoffed.

The nomad pointed to the top of the fountain, where a rainbow had just formed. When she stopped being enchanted by the sight, she understood and her mouth opened in disbelief.

“No way.” The nomad nodded incisively. Even he didn't believe it at first, but there was no doubt when you looked at it closely. “But wasn't it a huge block?” She asked.

“It was. It melted” He already expected her to make fun of that part, so he didn't even blink when she did. “The block melted, but not just from heat. Humans did that. Human’s abuse and neglect.”

The firebender gave an impressed whistle and looked back at the fountain.

His inner archaeologist - _or historian, whatever_ \- was completely on display. It was for things like that he traveled the world for. He had suddenly forgotten all the problems that surrounded him.

However, Ember brought him back to the real world.

The girl had moved away from the fountain and was heading to an establishment that resembled a bar, but was better looked after, which had many people.

Yan almost had a heart attack.

He only managed to reach her at the entrance of the establishment.

“What the hell do you think you're doing?” He whispered in her ear, so as not to be heard in the middle of tables full of people under the sunblind.

“This place is noisier than the others. I wanted to see why” The way she said it, it seemed like the most normal thing in the world to do in the situation they were in.

The nomad was stunned, and ended up failing to stop her from entering. With no choice, he followed her.

It was a large, well-maintained establishment. All the tables were well placed, and behind the main counter, a huge mirror reflected the various lamps that illuminated the place. In the background, there was a stage, where a young man played a happy, but not very agitated, song with a guitar. Background music, useless against the shouting of the crowded place.

To the airbender’s terror, the girl continued deep into the bar.

“Now, my friends, I’m gonna play one that you love!” Shouted the singer from the back of the bar, trying to catch the audience's attention. A futile attitude in any similar situation, but the musician seemed confident.

Some heads turned, but most still did not move. At least before the song started. Then almost all of them turned. Even Yan stuck in place. He knew that song.

It was ‘Tears of Iron’. One of the most appreciated songs by the common folk, created precisely by a bard like that one years ago. A song about the Avatar.

Soon all the voices in the place joined in. Some even got up while clapping their hands. This made the nomad lose sight of the girl.

An unpleasant feeling started to settle in him. That song was indeed very popular, but not so much that it made people interrupt themselves and act like they were at a concert. Only the most devout had such an attitude, regardless of where they were or what they did. Those people were not those devotees. They were simple residents and travelers who were there because they wanted to drink, eat and laugh aloud. Something exceptional was happening to make this situation make sense. And it certainly wouldn't be a good thing for them.

As if by instinct, he looked behind the counter, where what he feared to find used to be placed.

The poster was right behind bartender. Four figures in it, side by side. One of them much bigger than the others. This huge person was highlighted, in the foreground. Something in red was scrawled on the paper. He didn't want to know what.

He appreciated that the poster was just a drawing, and not a photo that had much more details, but what mattered was there. They might have changed in those weeks since the event that made them wanted in the first place, but not enough. His hair had not grown much, and he had never managed to grow a beard. Kuzou had gotten a decent one, but his characteristic posture and hair were the same. Ember had not changed a thing. And even if Rohan managed to let his hair show up on that huge smooth head of his and get a barbarian’s beard, nothing would hide his monstrous build.

 _Well, we're all in tatters, maybe that'll help,_ he mentally scoffed at himself.

They were testing fate. At any time, someone could take a look at that poster and recognize them. Suddenly, the nomad felt exposed.

The music was over and the audience was clapping. And asking for encore.

Then the firebender finally came into view. She came towards him, squeezing herself between the people shouting for the musician to play again. She had an apprehensive expression on her face. And a bag in one hand.

_That's why she wanted a crowded place..._

"Let's go, quickly," she said, grabbing his arm.

“What have you done?!” He was exasperated, knowing exactly what she had done.

The musician agreed to play Tears of Iron again, but first he began to cheer the audience by asking them to repeat “Long live the Avatar!" several times.

Taking the cue, they left the bar.

The people were as excited outside as they were inside the establishment. Leaving was difficult due to the crowd of people at the entrance, all squeezing themselves to try to get a better look at the singer while repeating the words with him.

When Yan was able to leave, he had to stop to catch his breath. The firebender tried desperately to pull him, but he resisted. He wasn't feeling well. He leaned against the wall when he felt his legs lose strength.

A conversation at the table next to him ended up getting his attention as he drew in air.

"...man, I'm so looking forward to it...”

They appeared to be two friends. Half-full glasses of wine were next to each other. The nomad suddenly realized that his throat was dry.

“Will he come by?” Asked the other, taking a sip of wine.

“Maybe so, if he’s in a good mood. After all, he's not coming all the way over from Ba Sing Se to see _you_.”

His friend cursed him, and sipped from his own cup.

“Only the abomination would make him leave Ba Sing Se in the middle of a civil war.” Another sip of wine.

“It is the first time in years the abomination makes such a mistake. Of course he would come in person. Otherwise, he wouldn't be the Avatar, would he?”

A sudden movement startled the two friends. A short guy with a ponytail hurried away dragging his girlfriend who almost tripped thanks to surprise. The two friends couldn't help but laugh at the scene. They changed the subject immediately and were having fun wondering what kind of problem happened that caused this couple's fight and who was going to sleep in the sofa that night. They would stay there until the bottle of wine ran out.

In the meantime, the only thing on the head of the hurried "shorty" was his personal mantra, increased by several levels.


	13. Chapter 12: Dunes (Part 3)

Kuzou thought about everything he had just heard. He realized that thinking lying down while admiring a starry sky was very nice and relaxing. The giant at his side, on the other hand, was anxious.

It was indeed a reasonable reason for the rancidity his friend felt for Norkka, but, as expected, that was no surprise. If Rohan expected his story to cause any kind of change on his part, he would be disappointed. The actions fit well with the profile he knew of the swindler.

The former agent also noticed that there were some details deliberately omitted in the course of the story, but he chose not to interrupt or mention that he had noticed. Much less comment that, at the end of the story, he had noticed exactly what his friend was trying to hide. He was entitled to his secrets, especially something so personal and that did not concern him.

“Then” Asked the giant, anxious.

"Your resentment is justified," replied Kuzou, "especially considering the fact you omitted," he thought sympathetically.

“But...?” Said the friend, realizing the “however” that would follow.

“But I'm not surprised. It's suits him.”

“Then I don't understand. Why are we taking his advice? It is obviously a trap!”

“Because what Norkka can offer us is worth the risk. With all the false documentation, we could disappear completely from the radar.”

“You think too much of his skills. I doubt that useless prick is that efficient.”

“With the right stimulus, he can be very useful. I am living proof of that.”

That seemed to intrigue Rohan, who did not expect this turnaround.

“How come?” Asked the giant, with honest curiosity.

“Without his work, maybe I wouldn't be here with you today. In order not to be found by the Dai Li, every little thing matters.”

“Wait...” Rohan seemed to process the information. – You are... being chased... by the Dai Li?! But you said you were Dai Li...” The confusion was clear on his face.

Kuzou was a little surprised. He thought his situation was clear, especially for someone as perceptive as the friend next to him. Perhaps the mistake was his; He left a lot in the air. He had to remember that not everyone was trained as he had been to carefully analyze the tricks of life.

“Exactly. _Were_ ” The former agent started to explain. “I left Dai Li. Except nobody just leaves Dai Li. It is a service for life. Too many endangered secrets. Therefore...”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

The giant was uncomfortable. Again, his ignorance towards the colleague who kept them alive made him ashamed. However, he still couldn't believe that human trash could be that useful.

"I see," said Rohan. “But I think you are overestimating the skills of that... asshole, and diminishing yours.”

Kuzou gave a short laugh at that veiled compliment.

“Yeah, I'm that good, modesty aside” he joked. It was the friend's turn to laugh. “But I don't have superpowers. I'm just a person. There are many Dai Li, and they have unbelievable skills. If you are the target of the Dai Li, you will be found. In fact, we should be grateful for Ba Sing Se's civil war for distracting them; otherwise, we would be in trouble.”

The former agent saw the dry swallow his companion took.

“Still, you managed to lose them. One more reason that shows you are underestimating yourself” insisted the giant.

“I have a great internal knowledge of the Dai Li. This gives me a certain advantage. But I also had a fair amount of luck. It hasn’t been that many years since I left the organization, either. My luck may not last much longer.”

"This is very ominous, Mr. Kuzou," said the colossus, in a low voice. “It is not possible that nobody has managed to escape the reach of the Dai Li, ever.”

“In fact, there is a person who was able to escape completely from the clutches of the Dai Li.”

Rohan straightened up. His countenance was serious, but he was also a little hopeful with the answer. The former agent looked him straight in the eye before answering.

“The abomination.”

The giant showed a quick surprise, and then withered a little. He blamed himself for being so naive and not realizing the answer was obvious. It could only be the Abomination. The being whose name fell on them like a curse.

"The abomination really looks formidable," said Rohan.

Kuzou nodded in agreement.

“After the initial report that started the worldwide commotion in which we live today, it simply disappeared. As if, it evaporated. I mean, there have been several reports of people bending more than one element, but they were all inconsistent. I myself have been sent undercover to investigate many of these. They were usually silly things, delusions of superstitious old people and simple coincidences. Sometimes the accusation was even made to harm an opponent.”

"As it has happened to me," released the other suddenly.

The former agent turned his head in his direction, one eyebrow raised. A little sand got into his eyes.

“I imagine I owe you an explanation. About that, and about my escape.”

"Indeed," replied Kuzou, being blunt.

“Fair enough. Well...”

However, he was interrupted with a gesture from his injured friend's good hand.

“You should, but not just to me. To all of us” That took the colossus by surprise. “What we need most now is unity, and without trust this is impossible. I'm sorry to tell you, but you are in the most complicated situation at the moment.”

"I see..." whispered Rohan.

He really did understand, at least from that moment on. The companion's words had opened his eyes. Everyone was in that situation because of him. He was the only one really wanted. If he had simply gone as far as possible from that temple after successfully escaping it a second time, everyone else would be living their lives normally. Shame flooded him again.

He bowed and apologized more.

“Calm down, calm down” The former agent tried to relax him. “I don't want to pressure you. Tell us when you think you're ready” _But I would advise not to take too long; things can get worse at any time._

The friend nodded and straightened up again on his knees. The wounded man decided to face the stars again; sand insisted on entering his eye when he turned his head to the right.

“Aren't you afraid of being too complacent with someone who might be the Abomination?” Asked the giant, a little apprehensively.

"I know you're not the Abomination," Kuzou countered confidently.

“How can you be so sure?”

 _Because the Abomination wouldn’t make the mistakes you make,_ he thought. He preferred not to externalize that.

“Because I think it is more likely the Abomination simply does not exist. The way it escaped for so many years from the whole world doesn't seem possible to me” was the former agent's response.

“I do believe it exists, Mr Kuzou.”

That comment made him look at his huge friend again, puzzled. More sand hit his eyes.

Suddenly, the earthbender sat down, despite the wound on his back, startling the other.

“Mr. Kuzou, what is it? You can't be like this, your back...” he started, worried.

"I can't afford to lie down anymore," interrupted the former agent, looking directly through him.

The giant followed his gaze. Directly behind them, a huge cloud of sand was approaching with alarming speed.

“A sandstorm?” Asked Rohan to himself.

"I wish," said the other, struggling to get up.

When he finally managed to see the boat through the darkness, confusion was already underway. Kuzou was standing, holding his bad arm, while Rohan looked ready to fight. A huge cloud of sand was approaching them.

 _This is definitely a problem_ , thought Yan.

The two of them had been running since they left the Oasis, but they stepped up even faster after seeing that. It would not be possible to reach the boat before the sandstorm, however, even if they used their bend to go faster.

“What do we do?!” Shouted Ember at his side.

He didn't know how to respond. Their friends had not even realized they were coming towards them. He at least needed to warn them in some way. Not that he knew how it would help.

Desperate, he sent a strong breath of air towards them, praying that they would notice.

He had the impression that Kuzou had noticed and turned to look at them, but the cloud of sand swallowed the boat before he could be sure. A few seconds later, the sand also engulfed them.

“Shit! Now what?!” Exclaimed the firebender, slowing down.

The nomad was completely lost. He could barely see five meters ahead, if hr could keep his eyes open, for that matter. Even the bright city had its light dimmed. Yan thought he heard sounds of conflict coming from the direction he had last seen his friends.

“Ember!” It was his turn to scream.

He couldn't find the girl anywhere. His despair increased.

“Here!” She replied.

He would never admit the relief he felt at hearing her voice. It was coming from somewhere on the right. Soon her silhouette became visible, as she approached. When they became completely visible to each other, the airbender realized that the girl's look showed the same desperation that he felt.

Suddenly, the sand seemed to warp. As if a veil was opened, a boat came out of the cloud, at full speed towards them. A wounded man piloted it, shouting at them. A colossal being was on the its edge, with his hand outstretched.

The nomad stretched his hand and the girl held on to him. The hands met, and the two were lifted off the ground by the abnormal force of a giant, in addition to the speed they were sailing, and thrown into the vessel. It was not a pleasant landing, but the adrenaline postponed the pain they would feel.

Then they made an awkward sharp turn and headed towards the desert border.

"Yan, I would appreciate it if you took my place, driving with one hand is complicated," the former agent said, through the noise of confusion.

After the shock, the airbender ran to help.

“What is going on?!” said the girl, while trying to balance herself.

“Sandbenders! They have finally reached us!” Rohan shouted in response, while looking intently at the sand curtain that surrounded them.

“What are we going to do?!” Yan asked, steering the boat in a straight line.

“You will keep on sailing, always going in that direction, full speed” replied Kuzou, kneeling near the edge of the boat. “We’ll follow the plan.”

Nobody wanted to contest it.

City lights began to appear on their left, through the sand cloud. Several windows passed and formed a blurred line due to the speed. Screams from the citizens could be heard coming and going as they went on, exasperated by the situation. If they bumped into anything, even slightly, the damage would be horrendous.

Out of nowhere, the former agent started to move his arm, causing strong waves of sand to hit the city, smashing windows and knocking down any unfortunate people in the streets. He continued to do this to each entrance to the Oasis he could see through the veil that enveloped them.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Exclaimed Ember, stupefied, transforming the concern all of them had into words.

"Blaming the sandbenders," replied the injured earthbender, passionless.

Nobody had time to even understand that statement, as soon after, the city lights disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving them with just the sand. Immediately, Kuzou turned to the front of the boat, alert.

“Rohan!” He called, shortly thereafter. The giant straightened up. “We're about to leave the desert. At my signal.”

 _At your signal, what?_ Thought Yan, exasperated. The huge earthbender seemed to think the same thing; but with more politely, of course.

Without any warning, the former agent moved his good arm sharply, as if opening a curtain. The cloud of sand in front of him then dissolved, giving way to the horizon and the border of solid desert land, which was approaching them dangerously fast.

Luckily, for everyone involved, Rohan understood what had to be done. As soon as they would collide with the terrain - which was not at all ideal for their vessel - the giant created a smooth track with his bend, thus allowing them to leave the desert without crashing immediately.

The nomad was unbalanced by the not-so-smooth stride and stopped bending the air in the sails.

“Don't stop, Yan!” Shouted Kuzou.

“Are you mad? There is no way to steer a boat like this one on solid ground!” Shouted the shorty, who tried not to fall off.

“Just keep putting on accelerating!”

_By Gyatso, what does he intend to do, kill us?_

When he looked ahead, however, he noticed that while his colossal companion was creating a track, the other one was creating raised edges to keep the boat on track. Everything planned, as always. Fearful, he obeyed.

_Heavens, what the hell are we doing?_

“Yan, brake!” Ordered the former agent, suddenly.

The nomad cursed, but obeyed again. Everyone held on in the best way possible. The noise made by the wood was not pleasant. At the foot of the mountains, the boat finally stopped.

Ember and Rohan thought the world was going upside down; Yan thought he was going to be sick. Kuzou, however, jumped out of the boat as if he were an unshakable machine and hurried them to do the same. When everyone was able to stagger out, he started to bend. Using the earth, he pushed the boat back across the track at such a speed the wood began to catch fire due to friction. When the vessel reached the desert and its cloud of sand, almost a kilometer away, it already looked like a bonfire.

"I hope it hits one of the pricks chasing us," spat the former agent, relentless.

He rubbed his hands as if he had just finished a job well done, and turned to his friends. It was then he noticed the two who went to the Oasis carried backpacks on their backs, one for each.

“Wait, what?” He asked, curious and surprised.

With everything that had happened, even they had forgotten the backpacks on their backs.

"Supplies," the nomad gasped in response, still on all fours, staring at the floor.

“How... how did you manage to get that much?”

The airbender looked at the girl sitting a few meters to his left; she turned away, embarrassed.

“Thanks to our dear friend over there.” Yan paused to breathe. “She ‘borrowed’ a purse. It had enough money, so we bought everything we thought was necessary and some more. And there was still money left. It was incredible luck.”

“For real?” Kuzou looked at her.

The girl seemed to want to be invisible. However, as expected, she was worried about Rohan’s opinion the most. He, in turn, seemed perplexed. The firebender shrank even further after seeing this.

"Ember," called the injured earthbender. The girl looked up slightly. “Thank you very much” Her eyes widened at that. “Even though it would not be considered the most honorable of attitudes, it was a necessary one.”

He bowed in thanks, shocking everyone present.

“Thank you very much. You saved us.”

A stunned silence filled the room. Yan's chin looked like it was going to hit the floor, so wide open his mouth was.

The earthbender was not exaggerating. They were in a deplorable situation, which would only get worse from then on. Thanks to the girl's unexpected action, there would be no need to resort to the emergency methods he was already planning; which was great, as they were not pleasant at all.

Ember blushed and thanked him in a pout.

Rohan stood up. His expression had changed; he understood the situation. He also thanked her.

“What kind of goods did you get?” Asked the giant, smiling.

“Food and medicine, especially” She seemed to have inflated after the thanks. “And some useful gear.”

"No clothes, unfortunately," added the nomad, sulking from the fact. “Let alone a bloody bath...” That he spoke more quietly.

"Wonderful," said Kuzou. “Well, let's get going then. We have a mountain range to cross.”

A groan spread through the group, but they soon started to get up. The giant, however, seemed to be brooding over something.

“Mr. Kuzou, what exactly were you doing back there against the city?”

The others had completely forgotten about that detail; however, when they were remembered, they also yearned for the answer.

The former agent noted that there was no judgment in the question. The friend wanted an honest answer, but he trusted that he had a good reason behind it. He smiled happily before answering.

“Attacking it, as you could see. The sandbenders caused a sandstorm to cover up their actions, so I used that to our advantage. As the visibility was almost zero, I caused a stir at the Oasis. I hope that by now the city guards are fighting the sandbenders, thinking they are to blame.

Silence.

"This is diabolical," the girl said, amazed, not without admiration.

The injured earthbender shrugged. The girl laughed.

Meanwhile, Yan was processing a detail that was bothering him.

“Wait, can you bend sand?! Since when?”

The two earthbenders laughed in surprise at the sudden question, and Ember slapped her own forehead, exasperated by the other's idiocy.

"Since forever, I guess," said Kuzou. “I also know the other sub-bends of earth. It's kind of a must to be a Dai Li agent.”

This seemed to be obvious to everyone there. The nomad felt like an idiot, and decided to be quiet.

“Well, enough talk, let's not test fate anymore. Let's go, there's a long way ahead of us” After Kuzou's command, everyone started to get up.

Ember handed out water bottles, which everyone drank eagerly. They were well dehydrated, so the bottles were soon emptied.

 _Delicious! Blessed water!_ Thought Yan happily. He would always prefer a good wine to water, but at that moment, he was more than grateful for that blessing. He started walking, accompanying his friends.

_Wine would be wonderful..._

_Yeah, wine..._

_Wine..._

_..._

With a snap, he remembered something very important. The feeling of despair started to return.

“Kuzou!” He shouted, startling the whole group.

He looked directly into the firebender's eyes; he had told her about it on the way. The girl showed only confusion at first, but then paled as she remembered as well.

“What is it, Yan?” The former agent's face was serious. He had noticed the urgency in his friend's tone of voice.

“We have a serious problem” Everyone awaited. “The Avatar. He’s left Ba Sing Se. He's coming here. To hunt us down.

The night seemed to darken, as if all the billions of stars on it had gone out. There was not a sound around them, as if the wind and insects were also interested. Even Rohan, normally restrained, had gone white.

“How do you know that?” Asked the giant, concerned.

The two took turns telling the story of what had happened at the bar, which had led to the conversation that the airbender overheard.

“What now?” Asked the girl at the end of the story, bewildered.

No one responded immediately.

“This is... troublesome” The colossus tried to measure the words, but the news had also affected him.

Everyone then looked at the one they considered the leader of the group, looking for some help or advice. None of them expected to witness what they saw, however.

A mischievous smile crossed Kuzou's face. He was happy, as if he were a child about to do a nasty prank. He looked at each of them directly in the eyes before speaking:

“He's coming after us, is he?” The former agent gave a slight evil laugh. “So I know _exactly_ where we're going to.”

_Shit, shit, shit, shit,shitshitshit..._


	14. Chapter 13: Before The Storm

It was a quiet and peaceful trip, in a way. The tiredness resulting from the various ascents and descents and rough uneven trails made them avoid any kind of waste of energy, including talking. Not even Yan had strength for his usual complaints.

Thanks to Rohan's extensive knowledge of his hometown surroundings, their passage through the mountains took only two days. They took at least two different shortcuts and a “secret” passage along the way. They rested as best as possible in that time, but there were not many comfortable options on the mountain path, and they were in a hurry. Food was not lacking, at least, courtesy of Ember's light fingers at the Oasis.

They reached the other side of the mountain range being welcomed by dusk on the horizon. The great city of Gaoling was already visible, hundreds of meters below them, filled with light spots that brightened the feet of the surrounding mountains.

Without even deigning to look at his homeland, the giant guided his friends out of a small cave, and then entered a wide road - two wagons would pass side by side with ease - that meandered along the side of the mountain cliff, descending towards its base.

The sight of a smooth ground seemed to give some energy back to the nomad, who was staggering dizzy in the rear of his friends. Of course, he used that meager energy to complain.

“I can't feel my legs. How long until we get there?”

“At this rate, we must be there by daylight,” replied their personal “tour guide”.

The airbender collapsed on the floor, stunned and too exhausted to move on after this horrendous news. He did not stop complaining, however.

“You must be kidding. Night fell not an hour ago!”

Rohan shrugged - politely, of course - in response. The group stopped near the first U-turn on the road to hear their friend's cry. Many of these curves still awaited them down the mountain. It was not a very inspiring sight.

The giant offered Yan his hand to rise, but was denied.

“I'm sorry, big guy, but the only way I get out of here is on someone’s shoulder.”

The friend understood the veiled suggestion in that comment and laughed. Kuzou decided to meddle in.

“As much as our huge friend here is capable of that, he must also be tired, don't you think?”

The airbender turned his face in disgust and mentally cursed the nosy wanderer for always being right.

It was Ember, of all people, who offered a possible solution to the impasse. And without a single curse.

“Well, it looks like there is some kind of establishment further down. Maybe we can rest there?” The firebender leaned over the side of the road, looking straight down.

Everyone looked at her. Even the nomad, who was not in a favorable position for that action, squirmed uncomfortably to look at her. Hope was written on his forehead. The girl took on a slight flush in her face with all that attention.

“It's probably just a residential house. It wouldn't be decent, much less safe, on our part to bother them” said the former agent.

The nomad immediately sank back to the floor, sad. His position seemed more comfortable, at least.

"It doesn't look like a house," said the girl, looking back over the edge. “The structure does not match. It would be a very strange house. It looks more like a... hotel, maybe?” She guesses.

In the blink of an eye, the airbender crawled anxiously to the edge and looked down without bothering to get up on his feet. His speed and movement seemed supernatural, as if he were a damned soul behind its poor victim. The girl jumped to the side, startled.

“Do you know what that place is, Rohan?” Asked Kuzou, turning to their honorary guide.

A look at the disgruntled face of his huge friend showed that he knew exactly what that place was. And if possible, would not like to answer. Their eyes met, and the former agent thought he understood why.

_Oh-oh_

As it was too late to prevent what was coming, Rohan sighed, with no choice.

"It's a roadside hotel..." he started, apprehensive. “... and a hot spring’s...” A pause for another sigh. “...bath house...”

Silence.

 _Here we go_ , thought Kuzou.

"Did you say..." The airbender's voice was nothing more than a soft whisper.

 _Here we go_ , thought the giant.

“...HOT SPRINGS?!”

The former agent could have sworn he heard the nomad's neck snap several times when he pulled his head off the edge and turned it back, slowly and devilishly. His body seemed to tremble with pure evil force and his eyes shone with the intensity of a thousand suns.

He was a madman. Ember moved away a little further.

 _Crap._ It was worse than the former agent imagined. Way worse. Rohan looked at him, apologizing with his eyes. He didn't blame him; the friend had been cornered by the circumstances.

“So?!” Yan asked, looking at each of them demanding an answer, becoming more and more frantic. And crooked.

All eyes then fell on Kuzou, of course. He, in turn, sighed, defeated. It wouldn't be wise. On the contrary, it was testing fate. Especially that close to the place they expected a possible trap. Perhaps _that_ was the trap.

When he met the giant's eye, he had understood that it would be something like a hotel, and he had started to think of some convincing excuse to avoid such a diversion, however pleasant; nevertheless, a hot spring’s bath house bordered on cruelty. It was too good and too tempting to resist. Nor did he see himself able to come up with a reason that would be able to overcome their will and need. Even Ember, after getting far enough away from the crazed companion at her side to feel safe, showed her eyes full of hope, as if she were a child begging her parents for candy.

He sighed again. There were some advantages that could come from that - a good shower would make them more appealing to the population, and places like that were great sources of information, for example - but not enough to justify the risks. However, it would be a lie to say that he was also not tempted anyway. He was still human, after all.

The group read the response through his body language. The nomad jumped to his feet, beaming, as if his tiredness had never existed. A smile of pure joy crossed the face of the firebender.

“Are you sure?” Whispered the giant in his ear.

Rohan understood the reasons why this was a bad idea and expressed his concern. However, the truth in his eyes could not hide from the former agent's skill; he was also happy.

He almost replied the only certainty in life is death, a saying that was taken very seriously in the Dai Li, but he stopped himself. Such an ominous answer would not go well. He thought of a better answer.

"Certainty doesn't matter much in the face of our need," he said.

The huge friend laughed, knowing it was true. It was also preferable to face an army at the moment than to deny the nomad a bath.

They resumed their way, with newfound morale.

Two hours later, they arrived.

The place was beautiful. Various types of lights adorned its front, but none with the intent of actually illuminating. Red, yellow lanterns and lamps, or a middle ground between these two colored everything around; all the colors matched the reddish clay tone of its structure. The house was two stories high, and stretched sideways against the mountain to fill the curve of the road it was on. This curve in question was wider than the previous ones, otherwise the place would completely obstruct the passage. It was possible to see a slight vapor escaping from behind the roof, molding itself in the ridges of the mountain coast.

That sight made Yan's legs go weak. Well, more wobbly than they already were.

“Finally!” He exclaimed, kneeling with happiness.

“And who is to blame for delaying us?” The girl spat, exhausted.

Yan interrupted his praise to cast a poisonous look at the firebender behind him.

It had been a hectic walk there. It was expected that the trip would be more pleasant, with everyone's spirit higher; however, "higher" is not a word that just means "good things". More than once, they were forced to hold on to the nomad, who insisted on trying something to get to, what he called a "piece of paradise", faster. “I'm going to go ahead to test the place out for you guys!” He said, and then tried to bend the air to gain high speeds. "Someone needs to scout the place to ensure our safety, right?" and then tried to jump over the edge of the road to glide down the mountain. The suggestion of letting him fall, but tied up so that he could not airbend, had sprung up during the descent and was very well evaluated, as a matter of fact.

Thanks to that, the group was even more tired when they finally reached their destination, something that had seemed impossible before. Luckily, that same tiredness prevented Ember from responding to the airbender's poisonous stare; no one there was in a mood to stop them if a mess should occur.

“Will you stay there praying, or will you come in?” provoked Kuzou, passing beside him, towards the hot spring house.

As if afraid of being left out of paradise, Yan got up almost running.

Beyond the sliding wood and cloth door, it was as if a new world welcomed them. A perfumed, clean, bright and beautiful world, full of pleasures. The nomad almost created a new religion based on that wonderful place. The truth, however, is that there was nothing special about the hotel’s reception they were at; they were simply too long away from well-maintained and comfortable places, which caused them overestimate things, but no one would convince them otherwise at the moment.

“Good night, how can I help you?” Asked a middle-aged woman, wearing a kimono, behind a small counter directly in front of them.

The attendant had been exemplary in her manners, but Kuzou noticed a slight frown on her face, which was certainly caused by the ragged appearance of the group; and he couldn't blame her for that. However, he saw no hostility coming from her, just a slight fear for the establishment, something that was expected. People always thought in the worst case scenario in the face of something unusual. He relaxed a little; he could read clearly that she was someone of a good nature. Moreover, there was no poster in sight.

Before anyone - Yan - said anything, he replied:

"A nice shower and a good night's sleep, please." He smiled, trying to relax the woman. "We got lost in the mountains," he added, as if apologizing.

“Ah, yes, of course...” The poor woman was a little confused, but started to recover while doing the standard procedures.

Kuzou took money from his pocket and started counting it, approaching the woman.

“How much for four people?” He asked. He didn't want her to think they were actual beggars.

The woman tapped a tiny bell as if to call someone and left from behind the counter, ignoring the question.

“You had the brilliant idea of taking a shortcut, didn't you?” She released, looking at the group with a frown.

The former agent expected many things from the situation, but not a scolding. The woman looked at the three of them as if she were a mother dealing with naughty children.

“Ehr... perhaps...” Kuzou was not used to not knowing how to respond, but that had frozen his mental gears.

“Everyone keeps saying: ‘the mountains are dangerous’, ‘Follow the determined trail, it's not worth being a smart-ass’ and the like, but there is always someone, isn't it? And then look what happens” she exclaimed, gesturing her hands at the group.

“Sorry...” said Ember and Yan, in a unison pout, with their heads bowed.

 _Holy shit, we actually became the children,_ thought the former agent.

“Now look at you! All ragged and bruised” She approached and started adjusting the sorry excuse they called clothes that was on the earthbender. “Who knows how long you've been lost.”

Two young women, also in kimono, appeared from the corridor adjacent to the reception. Without even looking back, the older one, who was touching their clothes, snapped her fingers and they approached.

“Do we have clothes of their size?” she asked, still not looking at the other girls, as if she sensed their presence.

“I believe so, but we will have to mix some pieces...” said the one on the left, analyzing them from top to bottom.

"I think the last thing on their minds now is fashion, Mara," cut off the woman who answered them. “Go get it, please.”

The girl on the left nodded and left. The one on the right approached them, curious.

“What happened to you?” He asked.

"Stupidity, that's what happened," replied the older woman, now looking at the nomad's sleeve, who seemed to want to disappear. “Look at this! All ripped. You could have died! Whose brilliant idea was that?!”

The entrance door ran to the side and Rohan entered, lowering himself slightly so as not to hit his head.

“Mine” he said, bowing in apology “I live in the region and thought I knew the mountain well. Forgive me.”

That scared them both enough to keep them away from the group.

Composing himself, Kuzou looked at his huge friend. They had left him outside so as not to make a “big” first impression, but he should have realized that they needed help. Or maybe his politeness had kept him from apologizing.

To the older woman’s credit, who the former agent assumed was the owner of the place, she recovered quickly, despite stuttering a little at the first words.

“W-well... that was... stupid, being from the region or not. Mountains can bring down even... big men” She measured well what adjective she would use.

"I apologize, madam." The giant bowed again.

“Good” She was already back to the "mom" demeanor. “I hope you learned your lesson. So...”

“Ah! I remembered where I've seen you before!” Exclaimed the younger girl, pointing at Rohan.

All four of them froze in place. The silence lasted.

That was bad. If the girl had actually seen the giant before, the former agent knew that she would not forget him. He himself would never forget; he doubted that there was anyone as unique in the world as the colossus by his side. So unique, in fact, that there would be no misunderstanding or mistake, even if she had only seen it drawn on a poster around. He didn't want to cause any fuss in there, but he couldn't be unprepared. A non-violent solution would be ideal...

“You were the guy that delivered our bread!” She said, with a silly smile on her face.

Kuzou lost his balance and almost fell, face-first.

 _Hell, what in the actual fuck is going on here?,_ He was exasperated. First, the scolding of a hot spring’s caretaker for being stupid, and now that. It was surprise after surprise that night. He did not remember the enormous friend mentioning that detail when he told him about his past, although he then understood how that information fit in the big picture.

Everyone looked at the giant, who looked a little embarrassed.

“Uhm, lady... I think that’s a misunderstanding...” Yan said, deep in disbelief.

“Are you sure, Lara?” Asked the owner of the place, turning to look at her for the first time. “And put that hand down, it is impolite to point at people” completed, slapping the other's hand.

The girl pouted and covered her aching hand before answering:

“Yes, I am. He's... hard to forget” The girl thought well before speaking, afraid of another slap.

The eldest believed that; it was a good argument.

"Welcome, then," she said, now seeing the huge man in front of her with new eyes.

Rohan thanked her, still ignoring his friends' gaze. Almost all of his friends, though. Kuzou noticed that that information had not surprised Ember.

"Well, come on," continued the owner of the establishment. “I imagine you're hungry.”

The group had no way to deny it. The woman smiled.

“Lara, daughter” The girl straightened up. "Go up and arrange them two rooms," she ordered. She took a glance at the giant. “And go tell your sister that we're going to need some... bigger clothes.”

Mrs. Jana – which was the name of the owner of the establishment - didn't want to hear anything they were saying. She ignored their protests while throwing away their destroyed clothes and continued to ignore them when they tried to insist they could not accept new clothes for free; she also refused to accept their thanks when they came out of the dressing room, one by one.

Ember was the first to try on the clothes, and the one who best fitted them, since most of the available clothing was feminine. Despite her pepper-colored face, she looked great in the red dress she had been given.

It had been a little more difficult for Kuzou. The available pants were a little too big. At least, the white shirt that was given to him was better, despite being a little tight in his arms. He was going to have to fix those long sleeves later.

Yan had no problem with size. Unfortunately, this also meant that almost all compatible clothing was feminine. He had to settle for a tighter blouse than he would’ve liked and a long skirt, which the girls were kind enough to make a vertical cut in the middle, between the legs, to try to make it look more... unisex. The nomad stared one at a time, ready to jump at anyone who dared to laugh. Luckily, even the firebender had the decency to hold back her laughter.

Rohan, as expected, was a complicated case. The only clothing available for him was a sleeveless beige jacket, as long as it was always left open. With no other option, he was given a sheet to tie around his waist as he would see fit. Not even the wide wooden sandals fit his feet.

Before they were able to get used to the clothes, Mrs Jana, like a captain, lined them up and distributed the kimonos. She ordered them to wear it and to return the new clothes which she would wash. She ignored the protests again and shooed them into the rooms.

Fortunately, it was almost impossible for someone not to fit in a kimono. Rohan pushed that truth to the limit, though; with the exception of his legs, which were more bare than normal, the garment fit comfortably.

With impeccable precision, the youngest of the girls - Lara - arrived as soon as they finished dressing to take them to the dining room.

The modest room consisted of six round tables for five people, and a small counter near the entrance. A small, but beautiful, chandelier adorned the place, and the floor was well-polished wood, just like the other rooms. The salon was just for them.

“Nobody looking to dine at this hour?” Asked Kuzou.

Despite the ample space, the former agent went to sit on the high chairs in front of the counter. He did this out of habit, without even noticing; He always sat in those places if possible. Counter clerks used to be the best source of information in these situations. His friends instinctively followed him.

"Actually, you are the only customers we have for today, so far," said Lara, going behind the counter.

“For real?” said Kuzou, raising his eyebrow.

“Yeah. Things have been slow these days. Our last customer came and went the day before yesterday.”

The older sister came out of the kitchen door and joined them. A slight poke and the youngest gave a low exclamation.

The former agent smiled. He understood that poke. “Don't talk too much! They will think we are desperate!” or something in this vein. A common thought in the business world.

“So, what would you like?” Asked Mara, the oldest. “I suggest not eating much before bathing, however.”

The sisters were very similar, even more so wearing identical kimonos. They both had brown hair tied in bows with wooden sticks, imitating their mother, and they had freckles on their cheeks. The differences were on their faces - the older one was more angular than the sister, who had more round features - and in their ages, of course. Kuzou deduced that Lara must have been sixteen, and her sister, nineteen.

“Wine! There's wine here, right?” Yan exalted, thirsty.

The sisters moved a few millimeters away from him.

"Yes, we do..." said Mara, still cautious, but picking up two bottles from the high shelf. “We have these two labels...”

"Whatever," interrupted the nomad, and emptied the cup when served. He asked for more.

“What about you?” Asked the youngest, happy she was not dealing with the thirsty one.

“I would like a juice. If it is not possible, I am satisfied with water” said the giant, still trying to adjust himself in the narrow chair. Ember asked for the same.

The girl served them a natural orange juice and then turned to the former agent. He interrupted her, before she asked what he wanted. He was worried about something.

"Just a moment," he said, lifting a finger, and stepped down from the chair.

He crossed the other two friends and put his hand on the nomad's shoulder, who was already asking for the third cup.

"He would like water, from now on, please," he said to the older sister, who was slightly frightened.

“What...” Yan began, with insane eyes.

A tighter grip on his shoulder interrupted him, and a glimpse of his friend's eyes made him shut up and agree. That prick knew how to be scary.

Then he returned to his chair, next to Rohan, as if nothing had happened, despite the tension of the other friends.

Kuzou sighed. He didn't want to look like an executioner, but it was necessary to be strict with the nomad, nothing more mild would have stopped him. Had he let him continue, the next day he would be useless and they could not afford a hangover.

He made his request, to try to bring the mood back to normal.

"I'd like that brandy, please," he said, pointing to a bottle on the second shelf.

He ignored the look of the airbender.

They decided to follow the older sister's advice and asked only for snacks; not without some... protests, obviously. When they returned from the kitchen with the meal - which disappeared quickly, by the way - the conversation resumed.

“So, where did you come from?” Asked the younger girl, puzzled.

The entire group looked towards the former agent, waiting for him to respond.

 _More obvious than that, only if they turned their bodies in sync as well_ he sighed, lowering his almost untouched glass.

"We came from the north, on our way to Gaoling," he replied.

“From north? Did you catch the turmoil at the Oasis?!” Exclaimed Lara, crazy for a gossip.

The four tensed in their chairs.

“Turmoil at the Oasis?” Asked Kuzou, curious. “Like a drunken fight?”

“Drunk fight? You do not know?” The girl seemed disappointed that they didn't bring good news.

“Lara, they would have no way of knowing, it is a three-and-a-half-day trek across the mountains along the main trail, and the turmoil was just two days ago” The former agent mentally thanked the sister for having answered for him.

"Oh, right," said the youngest, disappointed. “They got lost on top of it all...”

A nudge interrupted her and she fell silent.

“But what about this turmoil, anyway?” Kuzou persisted.

The two leaned across the counter, eager to whisper.

"The sandbenders..." began Mara.

“They attacked the Oasis!” Lara completed.

From the corner, Yan could be heard choking on the water he was drinking. The other two were more discreet, at least.

“Oh, did they, really?” said the former agent, containing a smile. He felt three pairs of eyes in his direction.

“Yes! The newspaper said it was in the middle of the night; they arrived out of nowhere causing a sandstorm and PAM, attacked the city!” The youngest was excited, happy to be able to talk.

“The guards obviously reacted and soon everything was chaos. And of the violent kind continued the oldest one “The sandbenders responded very aggressively and the guards responded on the same measure. There were some ... casualties.”

The mood got more serious.

“What else?!” Exclaimed the nomad from the corner, full of curiosity.

The sisters were startled by his sudden and aggressive interest, but they continued with the story.

"The guards managed to chase them away, but they are not used to such fights and have suffered a lot," said Mara. “They lost a good part of the contingent.”

“I also heard that the sandbenders declared war on Oasis after that” added the youngest.

“For real?!” Amazed Yan, immersed in the conversation.

“It is not certain, but the captain of the guard of the Oasis requested massive reinforcements for a possible confrontation on a larger scale. They say he even pleaded for help from the Avatar. It all points to war, ” said the other sister.

The hall doors opened, interrupting the conversation, and Mrs. Jana entered.

“Everything is ready. How about the bath, now? Then you can eat more.”

Even when she was courteous, she still sounded like a captain. Nobody complained, however; they finished their drinks and hurried towards the hot springs.

It was necessary to prevent the nomad from jumping still dressed in the natural pool, but he was not the only one eager about it. The three of them took a quick but efficient shower, and then entered the hot spring.

Even Kuzou let out a slight sigh of pleasure as he sank to the chin in the warm, relaxing waters. Rohan only managed to sink to the chest, but he seemed satisfied. Yan, of course, dived to the bottom in his haste.

The hot springs were in the open, but they were so close to the mountain wall that artificial lights were needed to illuminate the pitch of its shadow. It was as if they were isolated from the the world.

"I died and I'm in heaven," released the airbender as he emerged, ignoring his face covered by hair. “Drink and food, a hot bath... Now I only need a woman’s warm lap...”

The former agent avoided making fun of the poetic form - for lack of a better word - that his friend had described his desire for sex, but he provoked, nonetheless.

“Look, if it's warmth you want, I bet you will find plenty of it over there on the other side...” he said, pointing to the high bamboo wall that separated them from the feminine side of the springs.

The nomad sank into the water up to his nose, sulking.

“I can hear you, you know?” Shouted Ember, from the other side. “Besides, he would not to be able to handle me; He burns too easy.”

"Oohohoo," Kuzou said, enjoying the situation. Even Rohan made a “daaaamn” face.

The nomad got up, pissed off.

“Why, you...”

“Mr. Yan...” began the giant, trying to get his attention. However, the airbender ignored him.

"Yan, your towel will fall off," said the former agent, bluntly.

That caught his attention. He quickly sank back into the pool, embarrassed. On the other side, it was possible to hear the firebender’s laughter.

“Calm down, my friend. We don't want to disturb our kind hosts, do we?” Kuzou argued, but with a smirk.

"You started it, you bastard..." replied Yan, through the bubbles.

The earthbender laughed and shrugged.

"It's just a joke, Mr. Yan," explained Rohan.

"Yeah, Yan, we're just kidding," shouted Ember from her pool. “It was supposed to cheer you up. After all, everyone knows you're still a virgin.”

 _Damn, today she is on fire. Pun not intended,_ thought the former agent.

The nomad got up again.

“Yan, the towel...” remembered the friend.

The airbender held the towel in place with his hands, but he did not give up:

“I'm 26 years old, you brat!”

“And? Age does not prove a thing. With that stupid face of yours, I bet even my younger brother has more experience in this matter than you do,” she replied, her voice a little more truculent. Probably because of the "brat" part.

“Why, you... for your information, I’ve already...”

“Yan, stop it. It's getting sad” interrupted Kuzou, with his hand on his face.

The girl was playing him like a fiddle. If there was one thing his attitude had proven, it was his inexperience. The former agent deduced that Yan was not a virgin in itself, but that did not pose much in his favor. Not that the girl was much more experienced; he knew it was just the opposite, but in that battle of egos, the firebender had won.

The nomad turned, wanting to protest; however, he seemed to notice the situation and sank into the water. A light chuckle was heard on the other side of the wall. Luckily, his friend stayed down.

Kuzou decided to change the subject before Ember provoked him again:

“Twenty-six years, huh? Look, one of the oldest of the group.”

It worked. The airbender straightened up, stunned. He looked at the giant, who also looked confused.

“How old are you?” He asked, pointing to his huge friend.

"Thirty," he replied.

“Wait... How old...?” Exclaimed the girl on the other side, having connected the dots.

“..are you?!” Completed Yan, looking at the former agent.

“Twenty-three, why?” he said.

A silence took over the hot springs.

“WHAT?!” Yelled Yan and Ember together. Rohan was not so exaggerated, but he did not hide his surprise.

“What?” Asked the earthbender.

"It's just that... you look older," said the giant.

Kuzou shrugged as if to say "Sorry?"

Now that He stopped to think, when Yan first saw his friend leaning on the dunes of that - damn - Small Desert, he figured he was younger. However, after seeing him in action, with all his experience and skills, he dismissed that thought as pure foolishness on his part. He exuded an air of maturity that confused deductions, even with his somewhat youthful face. He even had scars! Now that they were free of the dirt that covered them, he noticed a slight scar on his left cheek, in addition to several others on his body. How could someone like that be only twenty-three years old? Suddenly, Yan felt useless.

“I need more wine” was all he said.

They spent another two hours marinating in the hot springs before anyone had the courage to leave.

When Rohan got up, he looked resolute.

“Miss Ember, are you still there?” He asked.

“Er, what...?” The former agent noticed that she had dozed off. “Ah, yes! Why?”

“When you finish your bath, I would like you to join us in our room. I have something important to say” Rohan looked at Kuzou. “To all of you.”

The wanderer understood and nodded, encouraging him.

The nomad, confused, stared at the giant.

“What the hell was that?” He asked, looking at him.

“Why don't we find out?” suggested the earthbender, also coming out of the pool.

Yan let out a loud groan and threw himself on his back into pool, as if throwing a tantrum. The former agent ignored him and it was not long before his friend followed him, frowning.

They dressed and found the giant already in a kimono, waiting for them kneeling in a cordial way in the middle of the room. It took Ember longer to appear, but soon everyone was sitting on a wheel on the mat, in an anxious mood.

“Ehr... so...” the girl released, annoyed by the silence that was perpetuating.

Rohan straightened up, as if the break of silence had awakened him.

"Sorry to bother you all, but I called you to this little meeting because I need to tell you something important," he said, concentrating.

His voice made it clear that it was indeed serious. All attention was on him.

“In the past few days I have been very distant, and very rude. I beg your pardon,” he continued, bowing apologetically. “I was letting personal problems hinder my reasoning. Especially in relation to Mr. Kuzou, who has helped us so much. I have already apologized to him” Everyone looked at the wanderer, who ignored the attention “but I still need apologize to you, and I also owe you some explanations. I have not been entirely honest, and it is only right that you are suspicious of me.”

Ember seemed to want to say that was not the case, but Rohan interrupted her gently and moved on.

“It's a well-founded suspicion. I understand now that I was abusing your goodwill without giving due return. I beg your pardon, again,” _For the thousandth time,_ thought the nomad. “I had my reasons for not telling this until now, as you will soon realize, but that is no excuse for my actions” The giant took a deep breath. “I refer to the circumstances of our reunion. I didn't run away from that place using a stone as I first attested.”

 _Oh, shit,_ exclaimed Yan to himself, gulping hard. The former agent was right, as usual.

“I took some stone and changed it to give credibility to the story I created, because I needed to talk to you to apologize, and the truth was perhaps more difficult to believe. I also couldn't fully trust you, after all, I didn't know you.”

"You could have just run as far as possible," commented the airbender.

“Yes. In fact, it would have been the wisest choice. What you did was very... inconsequential,” added Kuzou.

"Indeed," replied the giant. “And that was what I intended to do as soon as I finished talking to you. But I was not yet in my full mental capacity, and I did not know the severity of the situation. I mistakenly assumed I had plenty of time. The course of events could have been much worse than the current one, but it could also have been better; I only had to think twice. You wouldn't be in this mess if it weren't for me” He bowed again.

“But, after all, what is this truth that’s so hard to believe?” Asked the wanderer.

"The truth..." Rohan sighed. “It's just that, in that situation, I wouldn't be able to escape again. I wasn't even fully awake. The truth is, I was saved.”

A stunned silence spread through the room.

“The... what?!” The nomad could not process that information properly. “What do you mean by ‘saved’? Are you trying to say that someone broke into that place and...?”

“‘Rescued’ me, yes” completed the giant for him. “Exactly.”

“But... that is not possible... How would anyone do that, especially under the nose of the Avatar's ‘assistant’ and his heavily guarded museum?” Yan insisted in his disbelief.

“That's why I said it was a hard story to believe in. But the fact is when I finally managed to regain a little bit of consciousness, I was already chained. Then, suddenly, when I woke up from another blackout, I was lying on the floor of the cell. I blacked out a few more times before I was able to get up and run, but I swear I saw a figure walking away down the dark hall as soon as I woke up on the floor for the first time. Someone set me free, and I bet the museum people soon realized the same, as they were very quick to look for ‘accomplices’.”

Silence again took over the place. One could almost hear the gears turning in each head there.

“You tried to run straight to an exit, right?” Kuzou broke the silence abruptly. His face showed pure concentration. What went on in that head was a mystery.

"Well, yes, obviously," replied the giant, surprised by the question. “I even cut my way through the walls.”

“But straight into freedom, right? Without trying to do anything else?” insisted.

“But what the hell does that have to do with it?” Interrupted the nomad, exalted. “I'm still trying to understand how all this is even possible...”

It was the wanderer's turn to interrupt him:

“External interference may explain why the museum collapsed so quickly.”

That shut up the airbender.

"I was always bothered by how quickly that place went down," explained Kuzou, seeing the questions on the faces of his friends. “The damage caused by our huge friend here was certainly significant, but not enough to bring down a work of that magnitude. Unless he devoted a few minutes of his escape to systematically tear down the building's supporting beams, which I do not think is the case.”

Rohan agreed.

“I didn't think about those details while running away. In reality, I thought of very little. I only allowed myself to be rational when I was outside, where I found you there, looking lost” Ember looked ashamed. “I helped her out of the danger area and then she insisted on accompanying me.”

The firebender looked away from the former agent's gaze.

“B-but... who the hell would dare do such madness?” Yan was exasperated.

"I have a theory," said the giant, bringing all the attention back to him. “Do you remember, Mr. Kuzou, I said I believed it existed? That’s why.”

The wanderer opened his eyes wide, understanding.

“Wait, what...?” began the nomad, confused.

“I believe it was the Abomination who released me.”

The impact of that statement was immediate.

Yan stammered incomprehensible things again in an attempt to form a question.

“And what makes you believe that?” Asked the former agent.

"It seems the most likely option to me," said Rohan. “And it would be the only person with 100% certainty that I was not the abomination, which could lead to such an attitude.”

"You are relying too much on the altruism of someone who is considered a monster," said the other earthbender.

"I know very well who the monsters are, Mr. Kuzou, and they are frighteningly common," he replied.

The former agent smiled slightly at that; he shared the same understanding. He remembered how his friend talked about his hometown. He managed to absorb a lot of information from that comment.

"However, it is not only on the altruism of a stranger that I base my assumption," continued the giant. “As you yourself mentioned, the museum fell down in an unnatural way. I suppose that was the goal of Abomination from the beginning, and that it only found me by chance. He may have released me for several reasons, like distraction, for example. These are just assumptions, yes; but for me, it makes sense in this crazy situation.”

"I see," said Kuzou, always analyzing everything. “It's kind of... plausible.”

The other two seemed to be mere spectators in that conversation. The shock had robbed them of words, leaving them no choice but look at the development of the subject.

“Oi, oi...” whispered Yan, after an uncomfortable period of silence between his friends. The two earthbenders were not the only ones processing the information given. He had come to a conclusion of his own.

“If this is for real... and as Kuzou is analyzing it, I deduce that it is very real... You don't think the abomination could... be following us, r-right?”

"If I may say so, I think that is a bit of a stretch, Mr. Yan..." replied Rohan, trying to calm his friend's unfounded fears.

The former agent was not so considerate.

“It's a possibility.”

Everyone looked at him in surprise; some with a certain dread.

“What do you mean, Mr Kuzou?” Asked the giant, unsure.

“If we assume that you are correct about its destructive motivations, being on our trail would be extremely beneficial to it” he replied, without looking at his friends. “We are the best possible distraction, and we open up an incredible range of possibilities for someone who wants to be aware of the movements and intentions of the Avatar and his followers.”

Yan went white.

“But... wait...” tried the nomad, with a desperate smile. “If someone was following us, you would know right away, r-right, K-Kuzou?”

The wanderer did not look at him.

"Not if it’s the being able to escape from the whole world for more than a decade, without leaving a trace," he replied bluntly.

The airbender opened his mouth, but swallowed whatever he was saying. He was very pale, and seemed to be looking at various corners, as if he were becoming paranoid.

“Mr Kuzou...” began the huge friend.

He went silent after seeing his friend put a finger over the lips; a clear signal. The others also noticed.

“Heavens, what now...?” Yan was terrified.

"Let's go to sleep," interrupted the wanderer.

Surrounding him, dumbfounded faces. Resolute, Kuzou stopped any protest attempt.

“I know it will be difficult after all this, even more after this abrupt end. However, I hear our young and curious hosts approaching and there are things you know they cannot hear.”

His friends started looking around for sounds, but they couldn't hear anything. However, they would not doubt the former secret agent.

“After all, as the only guests here, our voices probably stand out. Come on, let’s go,” he insisted, seeing little movement on their part. “Hopefully, tomorrow's topic will be just about how a girl snuck alone into a room with three men.”

Ember forgot all the tension when she heard that, and went as red as a pepper. She seemed to want to protest, but gave up and ran outside.

As she entered her room, she saw the youngest of the sisters turning around at the end of the corridor, as if trying to mask her actions.

 _Fucking smart-ass,_ she cursed, still flushed.

The quartet left early the next day. They woke up at six in the morning, ate a nice breakfast - the sisters had trouble keeping up with their hungry rhythm -, put on their “new” clothes - not without saying many thanks - paid and then said goodbye.

Lara sighed, sadly.

She was sweeping the reception when her sister approached with a basket of clothes full of kimonos clinging to her chest. She put the basket on the floor and sat on the entrance step.

“Mom will strangle you if she sees you there doing nothing” said the youngest, approaching without stopping sweeping.

“Whatever. I'm dead, I'm just resting a little,” replied the older sister.

The sun shone brightly through the open reception entrance, bathing them in its heat and reflecting on the well-polished floor. A nice breeze also came, balancing the sensations and intoxicating the morning.

“Ahhh... What a wonderful morning” sighed Mara, closing her eyes to better feel the wind and heat on her skin. “Today looks like it's going to be a great day...”

As if to disagree, at that moment Mrs. Jana arrived in the lobby.

“Mara!”

The girl jumped to her feet instantly. The younger one turned on her back as she swept to hide her smile.

"If you're going to be lazy, give me the basket and I'll take care of it," spat the mother. Almost stumbling, the daughter handed over the basket. “Since you seem to want to stay here, help your sister clean the entrance. You’ll finish it faster, at least. We still have a kitchen to tidy up, after all.”

The sisters groaned when reminded of that. Given the orders, the mother withdrew. Scowling, the oldest went to get a broom. When she returned, she noticed that her sister was too cheerful for her liking.”

“Keep laughing and I’ll hit your head with the broom” she threatened.

The youngest knew of a much better place for her to stick her broom, but decided to stay quiet; the sister used to, eventually, fulfill her threats.

They stayed in silence sweeping for a while, until the older sister couldn't take it anymore and started to complain:

“Such a wonderful day and I have to be stuck here. Just thinking about cleaning up that kitchen...”

Both shuddered at the thought.

The kitchen had become very dirty and untidy after that morning's meal. It wasn't exactly the group's fault; they must have been really hungry, after all they hadn’t properly dined the night before. However, their pace was difficult to keep up with and they ended up getting clumsy in the kitchen. The short man, especially, looked like a hungry and thirsty demon. Despite all that...

"I miss them already," sighed Lara sadly.

"We hardly spent a night with them," said Mara, but also a little depressed.

“It has been a long time since we had a humorous group like them” commented the youngest.

Even with the creepy little guy, it had been a fun dinner last night. However, of course the best part was the hot springs. Due to the formation of the mountain around it, it was possible to hear perfectly what was happening there from the corridor of the second floor of the house. They had slipped away from their mother to hear their conversation as much as possible. They had to restrain themselves from laughing aloud; those people were hilarious. That morning, unfortunately, they had seemed a little more serious and austere, but from time to time, something had still happened that reminded them of their previous joy.

"True," agreed the older one. “But we also had no decent guests for a long time. Do you remember that old couple who got in three days ago? I never saw mother as eager to kick someone out as she did that time.”

Lara laughed; she remembered it very well. If it were not for their older brother to calm her down, their mother would have slapped that old hag.

"I wish she had done that," she laughed. “But nothing compares to that weirdo two days ago. Our last guest before the group today, the one with the huge suitcase, remember?”

Mara frowned. She remembered it too well. He was a big, bad-looking man in his early thirties. He was muscular, but not too tall, and maybe handsome, if it weren't for his carelessness about appearance. He carried a huge suitcase everywhere, as if it were his son, and would not let anyone touch it. As if not all that were enough, he was rude.

“What was his name again?” Asked the youngest. “It was a weird name too, by the way”

“If I'm not mistaken...” The older one searched her memory. “Bumi? No... Buma, I think.”

“That one! Next time he comes around, I think I'll spit on his food” said Lara, with a devilish smile.

"Mother will kill you if you do that," said the other sister. “And he might not mind.”

They both laughed.

"Still, I think they were a special group," insisted the youngest.

"You only say that because you were interested in the guys," hissed the other.

Lara shrugged.

“So what... did you see that huge guy?! What a man...” she sighed, imagining things.

"He's too old for you, girl," scolded the older one. “You look desperate, always checking the guests. Grow up.”

“Look who's talking! I saw you crushing hard on the mysterious guy.”

The sister stopped sweeping as her face rapidly acquired a reddish hue.

"Why, you ..." she said, turning to the youngest.

“Unbelievable!”

Mrs. Jana came out of the hall, looking at the two. The girls interrupted whatever they were going to do and straightened up, frightened like soldiers being caught red-handed by the general.

“You haven't finished cleaning the lobby yet? What is this laziness?” She exclaimed.

The sisters could not say that they were tired because they slept little last night. The mother would ask why and they did not know how to lie properly. Telling the truth, that they were taking turns in the corridor of the rooms almost all night to try to hear some talk from the guests, was not an option. Worse is that it had been in vain; when they thought they were going to hear something interesting, the girl went back to her room and they went to sleep. The two had waited a while longer, hoping that they would wake up for some reason, but they were also disappointed in that regard.

They had to be content to apologize to their mother.

Mrs. Jana seemed to want to scold more, but they were saved by the arrival of the postman, who appeared in the doorway.

“Good Morning!” he greeted, without noticing the scene inside. “How are you?”

“Ah! Good morning, Mako!” Exclaimed Mrs. Jana, forgetting her daughters and heading towards the door. “What are the news today?”

"Ah, we have something great today, you see," replied the man, handing the newspaper over to the woman. “Complete coverage on the chaos at the Oasis.”

The sisters left their traumatized state and approached the door, interested.

“Finally official news!” said the owner of the place, exasperated. “Anything else?” she asked, taking a coin to pay for the newspaper.

“Well... yes...” replied the postman cautiously.

He took a paper out of the bag and handed it to the woman.

“Mako...” hissed the mother, glaring at him, ignoring the paper in her hand. “What did I tell you about this?”

“Ah, Mrs. Jana, please, do me a solid” begged the man “I am obliged to deliver these posters. If I go back with yours again, my boss will kill me.”

"No problem." She snatched the paper from him and tore it apart, without even looking at it. “There, done.”

“Oh, dear, Mrs. Jana, this is troublesome...” complained the postman. “Why don't you just accept the poster? It would be better for everyone, for your safety, as well.”

"Nonsense," she blurted out.

“You didn't even look at it. They are very dangerous criminals; you are leaving yourself at their mercy like that” tried the man.

“And the poster is going to defend me, is it? Spare me, we’re just fine. Anyway, my son will soon be back from his trip to buy supplies, and he will ‘protect’ us very well, if that’s what concerns you so much. Now go, I have a lot to do and so do you.”

The postman sighed, defeated, and took his leave.

“It's always the same...” the woman was exasperated, and turned to her daughters. “What are you looking at? Back to work!”

And with that order, the sisters ran back to their duties.


	15. Chapter 14: Despair

"Very well, we are almost at Gaoling," said Kuzou, looking at the mountainous landscape. “Let's take a quick break here to get ready.”

They were at the foot of the mountain, not far from the entrance to the city, which was hidden from view thanks to a curve ahead on the road. The sun was settling at its highest point, illuminating the entire horizon, leaving few shadows to protect them from its constant scourge. Compared to the burning torture of the Si Wong desert, however, that was nothing.

“Get ready?” Yan asked, unsure.

Inside, he knew what his friend meant by that, but he preferred not to think about it too much. He would prefer to think that everything would come out in an ideal way, without any problems, similar to the wonderful night before, in the hot spring house.

"Yes, it is very likely that we are on our way to a trap," replied the former agent calmly. “Let's plan our next steps carefully before we go any further.”

The nomad gulped, but remained silent despite everything, awaiting instructions. The others did the same.

“The longer we wait, the worse, so I'll be brief. As soon as I finish, we will act immediately, understood?” Demanded the young agent. “No complaints or futile tantrums, am I clear?”

Ember and Yan flinched, and agreed slightly, embarrassed.

“Great. We will do the following,” began Kuzou “We will split up again. Same logic as before: a pair draws less attention than a group. Thus, we can also expand our roles. The pairs will also be the same as last time.”

As expected, the catastrophic duo seemed to want to protest, but one look from the former agent was enough to make them give up the idea.

“Ember, Yan,” continued “Precisely because you are the ones that draw less attention, you’ll go straight to the city, through the main entrance. Your goal is simple: just watch. Act naturally and assess the state of the city.

The two nodded after each pause, almost in sync, like children.

“Watch out for any suspicious movement, any sign of a trap. If there is a serious development in the situation, cause a very loud uproar to warn us that we have to step back. It shouldn't be difficult; after all, noise is your specialty.”

Both received the nudge without opening their mouths.

“In the meantime, Rohan and I will follow the foot of the mountains, bypassing the city, until a much more discreet entrance, and then we will go to where Norkka tends to burrow when he comes to this region. If everything goes as expected, from there we will go to a special hidden post of his, a few kilometers to the southwest, between those two mountains.

Everyone looked where he pointed at, as if they expected to see the exact place mentioned.

“We will leave the city through the same discreet place we entered, so you will be stationed exactly halfway, so there is no way to miss us when we pass by. It's a shopping street, if I'm not mistaken. Rohan will let us know about these details about the region, the city and its points of interest, shortly. So far, any problems?

Everyone acquiesced in understanding, despite the tension in the air.

“If things do not go exactly as planned and we end up separated, the meeting point will be in the vicinity of the hidden post. Even if he does not cooperate, it's a very discreet area, full of good hiding places. Any question?”

There was none.

A few minutes later, already informed of the rest of the details and well aware of impulsive attitudes (from Yan and Ember, of course), they went on towards their respective goals.

“Master Kuzou” called the giant, as they distanced themselves from the other friends.

“Yeah?”

“My... establishment is close to our goal in the city. If possible, I would like to go there,” said the friend, cautiously. “I know it can be dangerous, but there I can get various supplies and utensils that would be extremely useful to us.”

Kuzou was already expecting such a request, and he also knew there was another, bigger, reason behind it.

“What about your friend? He can cause us problems, even if unintentionally...” argued the former agent in response.

“As for that, you can relax. It is very likely that he’ll joins us, in fact. In that case, he will be very useful, I guarantee” assured the enormous friend, in an energetic way that was unusual for him.

“We'll see. If this establishment is really as close to our goal as you say, it might even be beneficial.”

Rohan thanked him, unable to hide his hope.

Kuzou sighed discreetly. This could be problematic.

Yan had underestimated Gaoling. He knew it was a big place, but not _that_ big. The avenues were of an absurd width, never seen before, able to host a large event, easily. It would probably fit a stadium inside its main avenue. Even the adjacent streets and alleys were abnormally large, eclipsing several of the main streets from other cities. Everything from the floor to the houses was made of crystalline marble. Except for the yellow roofs and some green details here and there, the city was so white that it hurt the eyes.

As a result, their walk to their goal - which happened to be almost on the other side of the city - became a little more arduous.

"This place is unbelievable," Yan said, as they went deeper into the city.

"It's quite wide, indeed," Ember agreed.

“Rich stuff is something else, huh?”

“Expected more, actually.”

The nomad looked at the girl with a raised eyebrow.

“What?” She blurted out, uncomfortable with the expression on the other's face.

“High standards, huh? ”

"N-Nonsense," stammered the girl, looking away. “Just pay attention. Despite the grandeur, everything seems ill taken care of.”

“Right...” discredited the airbender.

As he looked around with more focus, however, he realized she was right. The marble did not seem to shine to its full potential, and there were several piles of sand carried by the wind scattered on the streets. It did not match the meticulous fame of the snobbish people of Gaoling.

“Actually, the movement is also very low, isn't it?” Asked the firebender.

They were almost halfway through the city and had seen only half a dozen passers-by on the streets.

“It must be because we are far from the commercial center of the city. At this time of day, people usually stay there” commented the nomad hopefully.

“Hm...” Ember didn't seem convinced.

That did not help the airbender’s mental state. Why did she have to be so pessimistic? It was nothing, really, just a mess here and there. And who was he to judge the routine of those people who were justly known to be... "eccentric"?

They walked for a few more minutes in silence, just watching the landscape. Not that there was much to look at; the path Rohan had planned for them was pretty boring, with almost nothing of note. Apparently, he had purposely avoided all the big interesting points.

“So bored... are we far?” Complained Yan after a few more minutes of the tedious walk.

"And they call me the brat..." spat Ember, and continued before the other one had time to be outraged. “We are almost there. After turning left ahead, we will already be on the shopping street they mentioned. Then we just have to find something to do until they appear.”

“Oh great!” Said the nomad, forgetting the girl's offense. “Do you have any idea what we're going to do to pass the time?”

“I don't know, a bar or restaurant, maybe?” She imagined.

“Great idea! A meal now would not hurt, ” he agreed cheerfully, and hurried down the street.

He had barely reached the shopping street and had already decided which restaurant to go to. A seafood house! Better impossible.

“Ember, over there! Look at this perfect place, we’ll sit there outside, covered by the sunblind, with a full view of the street. Now we just need to fill our bellies while we wait...” the airbender was focused on the establishment.

“Yan...” interrupted the girl.

“What...?” He turned, impatient.

“Where is everybody?”

“What do you m...?”

The street was completely empty. The establishments were lit and tidy, making it clear they were open, but there was no living soul in sight. Not even in the tents, which were also set up, with products on display.

“Does Gaoling have a municipal break at noon or something...?” tried the nomad, unsure.

“Let's go, there's something wrong...” began Ember, approaching to try to pull him.

A strange noise interrupted her. It was coming from somewhere further down the street.

“What the...?” released the airbender, turning towards the sound.

It was a rhythmic noise, which seemed like rattling of metal items. Yan guessed that soon a rich old man with jewelry would appear.

From the corner ahead nearest them, a large and resplendent being emerged, who, except for the humanoid form, resembled nothing like a human. His body reflected the strong sunlight, preventing them from observing him closely.

“The hell is that? A robot?” Asked Ember, placing her hand in front of her eyes because of the reflection.

“No, there are no robots as... compact... as that”

The being began to approach, which allowed for better observation.

“Wait... is that... armor?!” Exclaimed the girl.

In fact, without the hassle of the sun, one could notice the various metal plates that made up the metallic being, in addition to the large display in what appeared to be a helmet. It was clearly a type of armor, but not an inch of what was underneath was visible, not even in the joints. If there was a man inside, it was impossible to see him.

"Oh, no..." released the nomad.

“What?” the firebender was exasperated.

“Is that...”

A metal armor that covered the entire body. There was only one person in the world who wore that. _There is no doubt, it can only be..._

"Shit, shit..." whined Yan, pale. “T-That's Buma, the metallic! The Avatar’s personal bodyguard!”

“W-W-what...?” the girl shuddered, not knowing how to react.

The bodyguard continued to walk slowly towards them. Coming out of shock, they both turned to flee.

A slender man with a military-styled shaved hair was across the street, in the middle of their escape route, effectively cornering them.

That man they knew.

_Oh shit..._

“It’s been a while. Yan, if I'm not mistaken, right?” smiled maliciously Yikki, the former museum curator and personal assistant of the Avatar.

"Turn left here, Mr. Kuzou," said Rohan.

Since arriving in the city through the "secret" entrance - nothing more than a poorly maintained alley, considered as a "service entrance" by the nobles - the giant guided them through the city on various short-used paths, thus avoiding unwanted attention. It was as if a whole web of alleys connected the funds of the establishments throughout the city. An employee could cross the entire city, from one point to another, without even being seen on the main streets by the citizens. On second thought, it was a system that matched the snobbish people of the city. Were it not for the great internal knowledge of the friend, that plan would not be impossible.

“We are almost there. Do you see that fork?” indicated the huge friend. “Going left over there, the third door is already our goal. The path on the right will eventually take us to the shops on the street that we agreed to meet with others. And if we go straight...” he hesitated, unsure.

“More stores, I imagine?” said the former agent. “Including, perhaps, a well-known establishment?” teased.

Rohan said nothing, but his expression gave him away.

“How far ahead is it?”

“It's the second door right away. You can see from here, if you strain your eyes” replied the giant.

"Well then," Kuzou sighed, giving in. “It's close, indeed. You can go; I'll meet you there in a little while.”

“A-Are you sure, Mr Kuzou? Is it wise to split up like that?” he was surprised, without hiding his spirits.

“We will be very close, in case something happens. Therefore, it is even wiser in our situation not to go together. Relax, you can go find your friend, I am more than enough to deal with Norkka.”

Rohan seemed undecided for a minute, but then he nodded, with apparent anxiety.

"Rohan," called the former agent, as his friend turned to leave.

“Yes?”

“Be mindful, ok?”

The huge friend smiled and nodded, before moving on. Kuzou decided to do the same, and headed for the third door on the left.

He went into a kitchen that was not very clean or tidy. However, the strangest thing was not the lack of care, but the lack of employees. The kitchen was deserted. He strode through it, but not without discretion, to the door that led to the front of the establishment.

The bar was empty, except for a single person who helped himself to drinks at the counter, without showing any indication that he intended to pay. Norkka looked nervous while doing this.

He decided to brush lightly on the counter so that his presence would be noticed. As he feared, his scare was disproportionate.

“W-Who... wait... you...?” He stammered, shaking his hand so much the drink in the glass bounced out.

That made it clear. The former agent was not being expected.

“Why the surprise? I thought this was the deal, right?” Hissed Kuzou, approaching.

Norkka stumbled out of the high chair in despair. When he straightened, he pulled a gun from his waist, and aimed it at the earthbender's chest. He recognized that weapon as the one the police in some cities used to subdue violent benders. If he pulled the trigger, a strong electric charge would hit him.

“Don’t get closer!” Shouted the coward.

A siren began to ring through the city. It was an uncomfortable and persistent noise: an evacuation siren.

“What have you done?” Asked the wanderer, moving forward, death on his face.

“I told you to stay away!” Shouted Norkka again, trying to aim the gun more firmly. “I did what I had to do, you lunatic! Now get away or I'll shoot! I can pull that trigger before you are even able to move!”

"No, you can't," he said.

Norkka knew that threat was not a bluff. One could feel the murderous aura around the earthbender, even from a distance.

"I-It doesn't matter," stammered the desperate man. “You should be worrying about other things...”

It was already possible to hear a rush through the city, from citizens evacuating. However, a new noise was noticed: sounds of confrontation. And they came from the direction of the street they had agreed to meet the other two friends.

_Shit, this is..._

Taking advantage of his slight distraction, Norkka fired. The former agent noticed in time to move, but not to escape completely. The electrical appliance hit him on the left arm. It was as if all of his muscles had spasms at the same time as they stopped. An agonizing sensation.

After the shock, the coward saw the opportunity and turned to flee.

“Norkka!” Shouted Kuzou.

The frightened man turned in fright, thinking he was being chased.

"Last chance," the former agent yelled, keeping on his knees with unbelievable effort, while trying to pronounce the words without curling up. “If you run away now... I can't guarantee your safety afterwards...”

Norkka understood the tone of those words. He seemed to consider it, but finally he gave a nervous laugh and ran away.

“Shit...” cursed the earthbender, now alone in the dark bar.

He punched the wood on the bar counter as hard as he could. It worked; the pain helped him regain control of his body. He leaned on the high chair and gradually managed to stand. When he succeeded, he ran as best as he could towards the alley he had come from. The bastard was right about one thing: there were more important things to worry about.

He had to get Rohan and go find the others. The siren was still sounding in the distance, but it was no longer possible to hear the rush of citizens; even the sounds of confrontation he had heard earlier had attenuated, which was more worrying. If the townspeople had evacuated as quickly as they seemed, there was only one explanation: they were prepared. Someone had prepared them in advance for what was going to happen. However, Norkka's expression had made another detail clear: although everything was planned, they were not expected to get this far. Which meant that someone had been intercepted on the way.

_Shit, they ended up as bait._

The door to Rohan's establishment was ajar, which was not usually a good sign. He opened it carefully and entered a dark room, which he supposed was the stock. He went to the next door, which was also ajar.

As he had imagined, that place had been a bakery. It was possible to distinguish a long counter, where the products on display once were, and behind, an entrance to another room that looked like a modest kitchen. He was sure that in the past those green tiles that colored the walls were striking and embellished the place, as well as the holes in the walls denounced the presence of paintings and ornaments handpicked by the owners to give personality to the place.

However, that time seemed to have passed. Glass shards of the most varied sizes and shapes filled the floor; from showcases on the counter and from the large windows at the entrance, he supposed. The walls were stained, and in the few places you could see the tiles, they were broken. The balcony itself was in a deplorable state, with only the part where it curved whole. There were no signs of products, items, utensils or any other equipment. The pieces of wood scattered around the room might have been the remnants of chairs and tables, or even the balcony itself. It was not possible to observe much of the kitchen through the broken door, but what he could see was also not pleasant.

Clear evidence of a riot. The violence and cruelty present was so obvious, it could only be personal; the motive could only be hatred.

A quick glance was enough to determine that his friend was not there. He walked carefully through the old bakery, avoiding possible injuries, but not without haste.

The difference in lighting between the exterior and the interior was so great it almost blinded him. The bakery street was also deserted, but there were clear signs of evacuation. He saw Rohan a few feet to his right.

What he saw, however, made the former agent stop in place, stunned. Of all the terrible scenarios he had imagined, that one had never crossed his mind.

He approached his huge friend slowly, with no idea what to do.

Rohan was on his knees, motionless, with his arms spread at his sides. It was possible to see his fingers trembling slightly. Not even a sound left his mouth ajar. He looked, destroyed, at what was before him.

In front of him, hauntingly, were two large pieces of wood stuck in the ground that together formed a V. Sitting, locked by the wrists in the wood, was a half-naked man, full of injuries and dirt. His head hung over his left shoulder, and dried blood covered his features.

That man had been tortured. He appeared to have been stoned for several days on end by an angry mob, in addition to other types of aggression and humiliation. The former agent deduced, however, that the death was recent. It couldn't have been more than a few hours earlier, most likely during the night.

_"...I know very well who the monsters are, Mr Kuzou, and they are frighteningly common..."_

The giant moved, slowly. He raised his arms and gently caressed the man's face. A small sob escaped his lips.

Despite all the chaos around both of them, it was as if everything was still and silent, except for the slight breeze that surrounded them.

Even though he had never seen him before, the young agent knew exactly who that man was and what he represented to his friend, although the giant did not know that he had deduced that last part. He had no idea how to comfort him, however. Everything he thought seemed to be wrong in some way. The silence always seemed better. They were not in a position to stand still, but he did not have the courage to disturb him in his grief.

A boom in the distance reminded him of his other companions. He took a deep breath before speaking, but when he did, was resolute and succinct:

“What do you think of releasing some steam? I know just place, and it's close by” He knew the friend would understand.

Rohan didn't seem to hear. He straightened the man's head affectionately and pressed his forehead against his. He stayed like that for a few more moments, then straightened his head back to its resting place.

When he got up, the sun seemed to shrink. When his red eyes met the former agent's, there was no more sadness or weakness. There was only determination. Such was the strength he exuded, that it was possible to feel the pressure around him. At that moment, no one would bring him down. He looked like a real colossus.

Kuzou was glad for not being the target of that fury.

_Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit,shit,shit,shitshitshitshitshit... shit!_

That couldn't be happening. Where had they come from? Why was there a siren going off? And why _them_? They were just the scouting team. Rohan and Kuzou were the ones with the dangerous part of the mission.

_What would Kuzou do in this situation?_

Ember came to her own conclusion before him, and attacked. The former museum curator stepped back from the flames.

“Take care of him, I'll distract the tin man over there...”

_Take care of him?! What? Is that girl crazy?_

Before he finished his thought, the girl collapsed on the floor when she tried to walk away. Something that would be funny, were it not for the situation.

“What the...” she exclaimed, looking back.

Her feet were frozen.

“So much arrogance...” spat Yikki, approaching, without haste. “And naivety.”

“Asshole...” swore Ember, thawing her feet.

As soon as she got up, however, she was thrown back by the waterbending from the Avatar's assistant.

"Too slow," he scoffed.

Yan did not believe in their chances of victory, but he could not just remain stuck in place, looking like an idiot. He turned as fast as he could and attacked.

The air, however, did not obey his right hand, which was now as soft as jelly.

“W-W-what...?” Stammered the nomad, confused.

Before he could reason, Yikki delivered a few more light and localized blows, and knocked him to the ground. Now he felt both arms soft, as well as a sharp pain in the forehead, where he had been hit to be knocked over. He could barely manage to crawl.

“Yan! Get your useless ass up!” Exclaimed Ember, from somewhere out of sight.

_It isn’t that easy!_

“Did you forget about me, little girl?” Said a thick voice, which could only have been from the Avatar's personal bodyguard.

Sounds of earth and metal followed. He was desperate, but he could not manage to see what was going on; he didn't have to wait long, however. After a few noises of confrontation and shouting, Ember fell into his field of vision, wounded. When she tried to get up, strips of metal flew against her wrists and legs, trapping her. The girl cursed, but only managed to crawl and roll harmlessly before Buma approached and pulled her close to them.

"That was pretty easy," commented the metallic man, ignoring the screams and offenses of the firebender.

He left the girl beside Yan and went to join the assistant.

“We are not done yet, two more to go, don't forget” warned Yikki.

"If they're the same as they..." scoffed the metal man. “I expected more from such ‘dangerous fugitives’.”

“The most dangerous, and the reason we came in person, is the abomination. The rest, like these two, are just accomplices. It was unlikely they were any kind of threat to us.”

“And to think they're still alive, useless like they are...”

“Screw you!” Exclaimed Ember, still fidgeting.

“Wow! This one is tough!” Laughed Buma.

"She's just noisy," scoffed the waterbender.

“But what will we do with them? Will we use them as hostages?”

“It's a possibility, but I doubt the abomination really cares about them. They are likely just meat shields; nothing more than a nuisance to us, so...”

“So it is better to eliminate them at once and go look for the others, right?” Completed the metallic man, just as one would suggest a different route for a long journey.

 _E-Eliminate... w-wait, they can't be serious_ , thought the nomad, fearful. At his side, even Ember had calmed down in the shock of the situation. When her executioner started to work, however, the firebender started to shake and kick even harder than before, thanks to despair.

The bodyguard was unable to take the first step towards them.

Behind him, a figure came out of the earth. With both hands wrapped in rocks, he struck them on either side of the man's head, crushing the metal helmet. Only a faint, confused moan came out from under the armor, before he collapsed.

Even Yikki was unable to act in time. Before he even understood what was happening, the figure bent the earth and threw him into the nearest store.

“But what...?” Yan tried, fear still clouding his reasoning.

“Kuzou!” Cried Ember, the joy and relief lit up in her face.

“Are you two okay?” He said, crouching down to help them.

"Of course not, damn it!" Exasperated the airbender.

"We're fine," replied the girl. “But what about Rohan...?

The former agent's expression was not comforting. She assumed the worst, but he didn't allow time for her despair.

"Things got out of hand, but the outcome of the plan remains the same," he said, as he bent the metal strips to free the girl. “You two go ahead.”

“You are crazy?! We have no way of defeating them!” Exclaimed the nomad.

“We don't have time for... wait, what happened to you?” Asked the wanderer, realizing his friend's strange position.

"I want to know, too," said the firebender, standing up.

The smirk was light, but noticeable. Yan cursed her mentally.

“Hey!”

Everyone turned. A little wobbly but determined, Buma, the metallic, straightened up.

"Don't you think that you have beaten me so easily," hissed the bodyguard.

 _Oh shit._ Yan thought he had been defeated. The dents on each side of the helmet looked like injuries bad enough to wipe someone out.

Kuzou, however, did not seem surprised, much less shaken. He went to the nomad to find out his friend's condition.

“You are very arrogant, aren’t y...” continued hissing.

"I," interrupted the young agent, looking sideways at the metal man, "am the least of your problems at the moment."

“What...?”

A tremor, followed by a crash, interrupted the bodyguard. The wall to his left suddenly collapsed, and a stone colossus came out at high speed. Buma was hit hard before he could react, and was thrown hard at a restaurant, demolishing the establishment.

“Rohan!” Cried Ember, relieved, recognizing the stature of the being covered in stone.

“Anyway, what happened?” Kuzou insisted, analyzing his friend's limp arm, as if nothing had happened.

“The museum curator, he did it. The moment I decided to attack, he prevented me from bending.”

“What?” Asked the girl. “That is not possible, unless...”

“Chi block, yes. The Avatar's assistant knows this technique” completed the nomad.

"I thought so," said the former agent, taking one of the arms. “I apologize for this.”

“Apologies? For what...?”

Using his fingers like tweezers, the earthbender squeezed the skin deeply between the thumb and index finger of Yan's hand. The pain that followed up his arm was unbelievable. Before the nomad had time to react, he took his other hand and did the same. The resulting scream was not pleasant.

“What the _fuck_ was that?” swore the airbender.

“The pain will activate the nerves and blood flow in your arm. Soon everything will be back to normal.”

“But... what the fuck was that?” He insisted, looking from his hand to his friend.

“A technique I learned” He preferred not to say where he learned, nor that it was used in unfriendly interrogations.

“Wasn't there a better way to unlock the chi, damn it?” Remnants of pain were still late in extinguishing.

“Probably, but not one I know of. You see, I don't know everything” replied Kuzou. “Now, go. We will delay them. We will meet again soon.”

“What? No! We can't split up again!” stated the nomad.

"Yes, we can help," agreed, oddly enough, Ember.

“No. Yan is not yet fully recovered, and I need you to help him out of here. No ‘buts’” he cut off, when he saw they would complain. “We don't have time for that. We won't be long, just go!”

Grudgingly, and cursing a lot, Ember ultimately followed the orders. She took the nomad, put his arm around her shoulders and helped him to his feet. The airbender joined the cursing chorus, but did not resist when they turned to leave.

“They'll be back, won't they?” said the girl, unsure, as they walked away.

Yan closed his eyes and took a deep breath before answering:

“They will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna take a break next week. Enjoy the cliffhanger, hehe.


	16. Chapter 15: Cholera

Being thrown straight into a store was not a pleasant thing. Luckily, the store that Yikki had landed on was a clothing-focused one. The clothes prevented his situation from worsening, despite the fact the window had done its damage.

Covered in cuts, but somewhat healthy, the Avatar's assistant returned to the street from which he had been ejected, steadfast. He left the store in time to see two of the targets fleeing the area. However, as much as he wanted to stop them, his attacker was in the middle of the street, his posture making it clear he would not allow anyone to pass. Yikki remembered him very well.

A noise beside him caught his attention. To his right, heading towards the fallen Buma, there was a stone giant. Its size left no doubt.

_The abomination!_

The waterbender did not think twice and prepared to attack it from behind, but before he could even turn, a wall of earth was there, in his way.

The face of the abomination’s partner in front of him said it all: _Your opponent is_ me.

"So be it," said the former museum curator.

Determined to get that over with, the Avatar's assistant went straight to the earthbender, attacking with water whips. Kuzou dodged most of the blasts and defended others with rocks with cold efficiency, while bending the earth in waves to ward off the attacker.

Yikki grimaced in annoyance when he was rebuffed, but kept moving forward, looking for openings as he attacked with waterbending. Kuzou, however, was relentless. He avoided all attacks, without fail, and always managed to keep him at bay.

For some reason, however, he was defensive. As if he was buying time. That pissed him off. They were being underestimated; a mistake they were going to regret.

The assistant pressed more and more, varying the strategy, but continued to be disarmed.

“Is that all you can do? Defend yourself?” teased the former curator.

His opponent did not bother to answer. His expression unchanging, unreadable as always. He would never admit it - after all, the biggest threat was the Abomination and he was just another one of his cronies - but every time he met those eyes, he got a shiver all over his body. It was as if each step he took in his direction was a step taken for his own slaughter. Every move, a new mistake for him to take advantage of.

Behind him, the sounds of battle continued. He wanted to be participating, but was afraid of even turning to look. Turning his back on Kuzou didn't seem like a wise choice. He recognized a groan of pain, however. It wasn't from Buma. Yikki allowed himself a smile.

"Looks like your little game didn't work," he said.

Their "plan" was obvious. The partner distracts him so the abomination could use his size and bending advantage to be able to beat the other, and then it would be two against one. They did not count, however, that both of them were elite combatants. Only one of them would be more than enough to deal with that ragged bunch of vagabonds.

"You underestimated us," he continued, preparing for what he believed would be the push of victory.

Kuzou did the last thing he expected: smiled and relaxed his posture. His expression seemed to say: “Who underestimated who, exactly?” Another shiver ran through his body. He couldn't resist and looked back.

He didn’t go that far.

A hard and initially incomprehensible mass hit him before he even turned around. He felt something in his waist snap when he hit the wall across the street, but he couldn't identify what in between the pain and all the air leaving his lungs. When he opened his eyes, everything was blurry. A figure walked towards him through the now destroyed stonewall that separated them before. He did not have to wait for the vision to settle to know who it was; its stature did not allow mistakes. His stone armor was full of flaws that revealed wounds, but if they did anything, it seemed to be just irritating the colossus who walked up to him with pure hatred in his eyes. A freak indeed.

_Where the hell is Buma?_

Yikki tried to move, but something heavy in his lap prevented him, in addition to the pain.

_What the..._

Buma lay on his lap, unconscious. His armor had several new dents, in various places. How did he get there? Was it possible the hard mass that had hit him and threw him against the wall was the _metalic_? It couldn't be possible.

A huge shadow covered them from the sun. The abomination had stopped in front of him and was looking at them with implacable eyes, full of hatred, of malice. It seemed ready to crush them. However, whatever he was going to do, never came to be.

“Let's take the chance” said Kuzou approaching.

The abomination did not seem to want to leave, but ended up giving in to his partner's request.

But Yikki was not beaten. He had adjusted himself in the best position to quickly get rid of his metallic weight in the meantime if he needed to, and went after them both, overcoming the pain. Kuzou, however, had not let his guard down, despite having turned his back to flee. He turned, ready to fight.

This was what the assistant expected. It was too close for them to defend themselves with an effective bending. He would block the chi from both of them and carry them to prison, and the arrogant accomplice would be the first.

Kuzou bent his wrist and hit him in the nose with his fist.

The blow bewildered him, but it was the shock that prevented him from even reacting when a kick hit him in the chest, throwing him over the unconscious metal mass. Before it was possible to straighten up, the earth rose to trap them in a shell.

And once again, Kuzou ran away after surprising Yikki.

“Faster!”

Easy for him to say, since he was barely doing anything besides limping now and then, while she ran for two.

"I would be at the appointed place by now if I weren't carrying a dead weight with me," replied Ember, panting. “Feel free to go alone if you want.”

Yan had the decency not to respond.

They passed through the city gates and then the entire mountain range received them. The trail they should take was just ahead, a direct climb to the heart of the mountains. It was not the steepest inclination, but it would still be a nightmare under the present circumstances.

“Ah, shit... look at this trail...” whined the nomad, suffering in advance.

Ember pulled him tighter, ignoring his cries. The firebender had more to worry about than a mumbling monk and steep climbs. She looked back anxiously. There had been no sound from the city for some time. Before, the sounds of battle were audible from afar, in addition to the occasional tremor; now, however, it seemed that the confrontation had been decided, which could be something horrible.

_Could they be..._

No. Both were excellent fighters, they would never lose. Rohan alone would be more than enou...

_Rohan..._

She had been so happy when she saw he was fine. When only Kuzou had appeared to save them, she had thought the worst had happened, but of course it was just a strategy. She had been foolish to have doubts. However, there was something wrong with the giant. He didn't even look at he... _them_ when he arrived. The girl had deduced at the time that it was pure concentration against the enemy, but that was still uncharacteristic. He seemed oblivious to everything else, as if taken by something, as if he was... mad. She had never seen him like that before.

_Did something happen? Could it be..._

She looked back again and her thoughts were interrupted, but she couldn't have been happier for the reason. The two people she most wanted to see were running through the city gates towards her, and it didn't look like they were being followed.

“You are fine!” Exclaimed the girl, without thinking, when they approached.

Kuzou nodded slightly, but it was obvious he was focused on something else - probably on keeping them alive, as usual - and she didn't want to get in the way. When she looked at Rohan, she saw that she was right to be concerned. Something was wrong with the giant; it was as if he was not there at that moment, as if he were just a viewer watching something very horrible happen. Different emotions seemed to take turns in his glassy eyes.

Ember wanted to call him, to understand what happened, but the former agent was quicker.

"Rohan, help me out here," he said, turning to the city. The giant imitated him, showing mild confusion through his shifting mask of emotions. “You two can move on. We’re going to say one last goodbye to Gaoling.”

The mention of the name of the city seemed to have created a new flood of emotions in the colossus. Kuzou appeared not to notice - which was quite unusual - or if he did, he ignored it.

Separating was the last thing they wanted to do, but the look of the two earthbenders did not allow them to deny it. They turned and started up the trail. Luckily, the nomad was getting better and was able to walk by himself.

When they reached the highest point of the trail that still gave sight to the city, a noise called their attention. The two gasped when they turned. A huge, wide stone wall began to emerge. Meters and meters of land mass rose and widened, so large the soil around it began to uneven. When the two of them down there were finished, the hole they were in looked like an abnormal crater, and the shadow of the wall eclipsed half the city.

“T-That... is... unbelievable...” stammered the nomad, amazed. “H-How do they... what the...” He didn't know what to ask first.

“All this just to block the way?” Asked Ember, trying to see the top of the wall.

_It wouldn't be very useful against earth benders in that case_ , replied the girl to herself, in a voice very similar to that of the former agent.

_We’re going to say one last goodbye to Gaoling._

The firebender shuddered. Could it be...?

The two earthbenders seemed to exchange a few words. Rohan looked shaken, but soon accepted whatever the other had asked for. Coordinated, they both punched the wall.

Then the wall began to fall.

The noise was deafening. She almost fell down from the force of the earthquake that happened when the colossal wall hit the city. She closed her eyes just in time to avoid the cloud of sand and smoke that hit them next. Some cursing beside her showed the airbender was not so lucky.

When she opened his eyes, what she saw through the smoke was horrible. Half the city was unrecognizable, nothing more than a pile of colored rubble. If people thought they were terrorists before, now there would be no doubt. Ember had never seen such damage in her life.

Before either of them had time to get out of shock, the cause of that disaster appeared through the dust and dragged them away.

“Why, _the fuck_ , did you two do that?!” exclaimed Ember, for the fifth time. The two earthbenders had ignored all of her questions so far, concentrating only on dragging them as far as possible from the chaos they had caused.

So long had they been running, in fact, the dust cloud was barely visible behind the mountain range. Kuzou, however, did not seem satisfied and continued to run, knowing the others would imitate him. Ember didn't even know if he heard her questions. However, not even Rohan answered her. The Giant barely showed any kind of emotion, in pure concentration. The firebender couldn't get close to him, no matter how hard she tried. Her heart sank more and more.

A few kilometers later, they finally slowed down. Fatigue had taken over even Kuzou. He leaned against an elevation beside the trail, panting. Ember and Yan collapsed, while Rohan remained standing, as if he were the only one able to continue.

Five minutes. That was the time that Kuzou let them rest before rushing them again. As Yan seemed too exhausted to complain, Ember decided to do the honors.

"We can't take... much more of this…” she gasped, trying to get up.

“We’re close... we can rest better there” replied the former agent, observing the surroundings.

Ember deduced he was referring to Norkka's hiding place. As if everything was answered, the wanderer moved on, leaving the trail behind. Thankfully, they just walked from there, instead of running.

The firebender made her question again. Now they were no longer running, someone would have to answer it.

Kuzou took so long to open his mouth, the girl almost asked again.

“A farewell to the city, as I said before”

“Can you explain it better, damn it?” Asked the girl, with no patience for vague answers.

"That should hinder anyone that is after us," continued the former agent.

“ _Hinder_?!” gasped Yan, finally back to life. “I've never seen anything like that in my life. You destroyed half the city!”

"It didn’t get to half..." began the wanderer.

“Don't give me that shit, Kuzou, enough of your technicalities, please” interrupted the airbender, before Ember could.

The former agent laughed as best he could with his short breath.

“Well, that’s the practical answer. Beyond that, I guess we did it because we wanted to” he replied, looking sideways at the giant.

Rohan was ahead of them, the shadows of the trees hiding his face, making his look somber. He didn't seem to pay attention to the conversation.

_Is he implying that that was Rohan's idea?,_ pondered Ember. The girl knew very well about the rancidity the giant felt for his homeland, but that seemed too much. Besides, he had...

_Wait... could...?_

“After all, what happened...” began the girl, with a heavy heart.

“There it is” Kuzou said, as if he hadn't heard her.

In front of them was a shabby hut at the top of the small hill on which they stood. There were fewer trees around it, almost like a clearing, allowing plenty of sunlight. A peaceful and beautiful place, in contrast to the mood of the group.

“Is _that_ the hiding place? It looks like it's going to collapse at any moment” Yan commented disappointed, in a way. He had heard so much about the place and its importance in the past few days that he had come to expect something more... "secret agent".

“That is the intention, no doubt,” mentioned the former agent. “You were saying, Ember?”

_Ah, so he_ was _listening,_ cursed the girl.

“What, after all, happened at Gaoling?” she said finally.

Kuzou took a deep breath. He looked at the giant, who did not move, as if pondering how to answer the question. That worried her even more. Even the nomad seemed to notice something strange about the situation.

"Well, it..." began the wanderer.

A sudden noise interrupted him, drawing his attention.

The hut’s door was wide open. A figure hurried out, carrying a large backpack. When he turned to close the door, the man saw them and stopped, paralyzed like a statue. From that distance, one could see the shock and fear on his face.

_Is that..._

Rohan was already halfway the distance to the man. The group had barely noticed his movement, despite the land he had moved to move faster.

Norkka was only able to let out a cry. The giant grabbed him by the neck, lifting him off the ground with just one hand.

“Rohan!” shouted his companions, as they overcame the surprise and went after him.

The informant's despair was visible. He kicked and tried to break free, tears streaming down his cheek. He was suffocating.

“IT'S YOUR FAULT!” roared the colossus, scaring the birds around them.

Norkka seemed to want to say something, but his attacker did not seem interested in letting him speak.

The group reached them, but were not even noticed.

“What the fuck is going on here?!” Yan tried, not knowing how to act.

No one answered.

The nomad looked at each one of them, but no one seemed able to speak. The giant ignored them and Ember looked terrified. It was no wonder; they had never seen their friend like that. Even Kuzou seemed more agitated than usual.

“Rohan...” cried the girl, trying to get his attention.

“IF IT WASN’T FOR YOU...,” continued raging the colossus, ignoring everything else.

Norkka saw Kuzou and his eyes immediately turned to him, asking for help, begging for his life. His face was already purple.

The former agent's eyes, however, only responded with coldness. Yan could clearly see the exact moment the wanderer's face changed after seeing the informant's pleading eyes. The moment when he became Dai Li again. The nomad felt a shiver run through his body.

Norkka's eyes widened as much as they could. One could see the veins in his eyeballs.

_If you run away now... I can’t guarantee your safety afterwards..._

That was everything the informant received from those impassive eyes.

A snap silenced all sound.

Norkka stopped struggling. His limp body hung in the air by the giant's hand.

Nothing nor anyone dared to break the silence.

Rohan opened his hand.

The informant hit the ground, offering no resistance. And there he stayed.

Ember covered her mouth in pure terror. Yan didn't know how to react. Unconsciously, he looked at the former agent. The latter, without looking at anyone in particular, just sighed. The nomad's hands started to tremble.

The giant did not move. His breathing was heavy, and his fingers were having small spasms.

Those same fingers were marked on the body's purple neck on the floor. The corpse's head was stretched out unnaturally, and a bulge was seen below the chin, as if something was trying to come out of the throat.

“W-w-what... happened...” stammered the girl, in an almost inaudible whisper.

No one seemed to hear her.

"Rohan..." she whimpered.

The giant ignored her.

_Could it be...?_

“Did something h-happen to... Nohro...?” the girl sobbed, fearful.

Kuzou looked at her, curious.

That caught the attention of the colossus. In one movement, he turned and looked at her with red eyes.

“You!” Rohan roared, and went straight to the firebender.

Ember flinched, terrified.

With a single step, Kuzou got between the two.

The giant stopped immediately. He stared at the 23-year-old who barely reached his chest, as if challenging him. The former agent just stared back at him. The tension at that moment was so strong it was suffocating.

After a few seconds that seemed like hours, the colossus turned sharply and withdrew towards the trees, leaving them behind.

As if something had finally come loose, Ember collapsed on her knees, her face moist with tears. Yan considered doing the same. He couldn't even think of his personal mantra.

Kuzou just relaxed his shoulders as he watched Rohan walk away. He decided to let the silence settle, so that his friends could recover.

Not that there was anything he could say.


	17. Chapter 16: Anguish

Yan had lost track of time. It seemed like mere seconds had passed since Kuzou had left them to search the hut, since there he was again, as if he had never left. Why, then, did the previous scene seem to have happened in slow motion?

The only movement the two of them had made since the incident had been to move away from the corpse, nothing else. Being so close to it was unbearable. Not for Kuzou, however. Of course not. The first thing the former agent did was plunder the body.

And now there he was, asking them to get up, so they could continue their journey.

At least he was being gentle with the girl. The firebender looked destroyed. She had been crying non-stop since Rohan had left.

Suddenly, they were already walking through the forest. Yan didn't even remember how he managed to get up, let alone how long it had been since. Considering he no longer saw the clearing, he supposed it had been a while.

Then they were already out of the forest and back on the trail. And there was Rohan, sitting with his back to the group; waiting for them, perhaps.

And just like that it was already night, and they found themselves in a small seaport. Kuzou negotiated with someone, while the giant kept his distance from the group.

Lastly, they were all aboard a simple boat, watching the same port they were in a second ago disappear into the horizon.

The rocking of the boat finally seemed to lift the nomad out of his trance. Probably because he realized he was going to puke soon. Sick, Yan lay on the deck, looking at the stars.

After a time that the nomad still did not know how to quantify, Kuzou appeared standing beside him.

“How are you two feeling?” He asked, showing weariness.

 _You_ _two?_ , Managed to reason the airbender. He then realized Ember was close to him, curled up like a ball against the rail of the boat that separated them from the waves. He hadn't noticed her approach. It’s not like he had been paying attention, however.

No one answered the former agent. He, in turn, sat down with them when realized neither of them were interested in speaking. Then they stayed silent, just listening to the sound of the sea.

A banana hit the nomad's face.

The airbender sat up, startled, watching the fruit roll to the floor.

“What the...” he started, turning his head around, looking for the culprit.

“Had a good nap?” Kuzou commented, with a slight smile on his face. "I figured you’d be hungry," he continued, pointing to the banana.

Yan was still bewildered, but managed to babble some sort of cursing.

“I… dozed off?” asked. He didn't remember that either, for a change.

"For a few minutes, I believe," replied the wanderer, offering food to Ember.

The girl appeared to be calmer. Her face was no longer hidden between her knees, and the tears were already drying up. She still sobbed, however. She accepted the food.

For a few minutes, all they did was eat, looking at the horizon.

The nomad's nausea soon returned, however.

“You don't handle boats very well, do you?” Asked the former agent, watching his friend lie down again.

“It is not like there was much sailing in the air temples...”

"You fly," said Kuzou.

“ _Bison_ fly. We just avoid falling.”

“That doesn't change my point.”

“Ah, whatever, ask another nomad...” Yan let out, too lazy to think.

“Sure. I'll send a letter to the air temples with that question,” joked the friend.

"Stop bothering me... I don't even know where we are..." he complained.

“Well, it looks like a boat...” he teased.

Yan picked up the banana peel beside him and threw it at his friend. The former agent swerved easily, with a chuckle. The slight smile on his face did not last, however.

Ember was staring at them, still in the same position.

Kuzou took a long breath. He was trying to improve their mood, but Ember was not as carefree as the nomad, especially with such a matter.

“Kuzou...” she whispered, surprising them both.

The former agent noticed how much she struggled to speak. He tried to encourage her with his eyes.

“...what happened... Nohro...” managed the girl.

Hearing that name again alerted the nomad. He didn't know anything about that specific name, but it was obvious it had everything to do with what had happened. Yan was not sure he was ready to hear the answers.

“He is dead. I'm sorry, Ember.” Said the wanderer, direct.

The firebender's reaction was as expected. Her eyes widened and the tears started flowing again. A slight tremor took over her.

“No... how...?” Sobbed the poor girl.

"I can't say the exact cause, but...,” he continued.

" _But_...?” Insisted Ember.

Another sigh from Kuzou. She wanted to _know_ , there was no use trying to avoid it.

“Apparently... stoning... among other aggressions...”

Yan straightened up.

“Stoni... but what... What, the hell, is going on, Kuzou?” exasperated the nomad.

The airbender could no longer remain silent. Something horrible had happened and he seemed to be the only one out of the loop.

"Everything went wrong with our mission," replied the former agent.

“ _That,_ I noticed!” Exclaimed the nomad.

“Sorry,” Kuzou apologized, trying to calm him down. “Norkka sold us out, as we imagined, and on top of that, managed to escape. I didn't expect, however, that the two of you would be the ones ambushed. He took advantage of my distraction.”

“But what about Rohan?”

“Rohan and I parted ways. He wanted to stop by his old establishment to get supplies... and to find a ‘friend’...”

Yan was beginning to understand.

“This Nohro guy...?” He tried.

“Yes.”

“And he...”

“…was tied down to wooden stakes in the middle of the street, dead.”

Ember gasped for air, horrified.

“Wooden stakes... a public punishment?” Asked the nomad.

“More like an execution, but yes.”

“By Gyatso... Do you think they did this because of his relationship with...” started the airbender.

“With the supposed Abomination, Rohan, yes.” completed the former agent.

“Heavens... all of this just because they were friends...” Yan was incredulous.

"They weren't just friends," interrupted the wanderer.

“What do you mean?”

"I can't say for certain their exact relationship..." he explained. “But we have someone who can.”

“I doubt Rohan is willing...” he fell silent when he saw where his friend was looking at.

"You don't have to say anything, if you don't want to, of course," Kuzou continued, gently.

Ember looked at him with her sad red eyes. Her face was partially hidden between her knees.

"They were... engaged..." she whispered back.

“Thank you, Ember.” said the former agent. The girl looked away.

“Engaged... oh no...” understood the airbender.

“Yes...” confirmed the friend.

Yan had been reminded again how little he knew of his colleagues' past. He had never imagined the giant carried such a heavy weight on his heart all this time. All this time... to face such a horrendous outcome. He now understood much of his actions, in retrospect. About the incident, however...

“N-Norkka” speaking the name was difficult. “What is... _was_... his involvement in all of this?”

"As far as I can tell, a lot," said the wanderer, looking at the firebender, as if asking permission.

She was slow to answer.

“Norkka was responsible... for Rohan’s arrest...,” she whimpered.

“What?!” Exclaimed the nomad, shocked.

"Indeed," Kuzou corroborated.

 _He's not surprised, obviously_ , thought the airbender.

“You… knew...?” Asked Ember, confused.

“Rohan told me about his relationship with Norkka back there in the desert, while you two were away.” he clarified.

 _So I_ am _the only one in the dark here_ , complained the nomad.

"Enlighten me, please," he said sourly.

“I don't know all the details, but I can count on you to help, right?” Asked the former agent.

The firebender nodded in agreement, shy. The wanderer smiled, thanking her.

“Well...” Kuzou released, looking at the stars, pondering where to start. “Back there in the desert, Rohan and I had a conversation about his past. He hoped to dissuade me from finding Norkka by telling me about what happened before he was arrested. He omitted some facts for personal reasons; which was within his rights. The fact he is a baker, for example” he mentioned, remembering the incident at the hot springs.

“All he told me was that he had an ‘establishment’ in Gaoling, along with a ‘colleague’. I understood the content of his omissions in general, but it was not right for me to demand this kind personal information."

“Ah, it was because of this conversation you had that the modd between you two improved” perceived Yan.

“Yes” confirmed the earthbender. “With everything that happened, I didn't think of mentioning that, sorry.”

“No! There is no reason to apologize!” the nomad was exasperated, feeling guilty.

That reaction seemed to amuse the former agent, who gave a slight smile.

"Anyway," he continued. “Rohan and Norkka had known each other for a while way before this whole mess. From what he said, Norkka was the owner of the land they rented for the bakery. As one can imagine, considering who we are dealing with here, disagreements between the two did not take long to happen. As his establishment was at stake, Rohan had to put up with many things, but Norkka eventually went too far.

Kuzou looked at Ember, as if asking her to complement. It took her a while to understand what he wanted.

"He... threatened Nohro... and offended him...,” she finally whispered.

"Thought so," said the earthbender. “Norkka has always been a coward. As he had no balls to face our gigantic colleague, he went after an easier target.

The firebender agreed, shaking her head slightly.

“Nohro avoided... confrontations, wanted to be friend ... with everyone. He is... _was_...” a sob interrupted the girl. That correction was too much for her, she couldn't go on.

Kuzou took the cue.

“Rohan, obviously, did not let that slide and scared him away. Norkka still owned the land however, so he tried to expel them.

“ _Tried_?” Asked the nomad.

“Yes. Rohan ended up discovering a secret part of the property full of contraband. With that, they denounced Norkka, forcing him to flee the city. They even managed to buy the property after that.

"Did Rohan just trip over that secret part? Out of the blue?” Yan asked, incredulous.

“Well, that's what Rohan tried to convince me of...,” replied the former agent, making it clear that he knew more. The girl looked at him through the arms that hugged her knees. “I imagine something made him suspicious. Probably the fight with Nohro where it all started.”

Kuzou looked at the firebender, looking for confirmation. The girl barely moved, but he seemed to have seen an affirmative answer, as he soon continued:

“Nohro probably did something that could put his operation at risk, and the vermin ended up losing his cool.”

Yan noticed the friend now referred to the deceased man with the same regard as the giant before him. Something had changed, but the nomad did not care to know the exact reason.

“If he had to flee, what is his part in Rohan's arrest?” changed the subject.

“He went back to the city in hiding, probably because of some work. It wasn't like he was going to leave something like that unpunished, either. Unfortunately, it was inevitable that he would seek revenge. We have no way of knowing all the details, since he is dead,” Yan shrugged remembering that fact. “but we can extrapolate from the information we do have.”

“Rohan said that Norkka just appeared in front of him one day and attacked him. Rohan obviously defended himself; with earthbend, I must mention. Suddenly, in the middle of the confusion, flames hit the man, and a burning Norkka fled, running down the street while shouting 'abomination!’. Before our friend could even understand what was going on, members of the Avatar's guard were on top of him. He was arrested on the spot."

“Avatar’s guard? Wait, you mean...” began the nomad, exasperated.

“Yes, the band of glorified mercenaries who live to find the abomination, undoubtedly led by our curator friend. Norkka probably used his contacts to alert them and then came up with some trick to frame Rohan while they were watching. It must not have been difficult for someone like him.

“Cretin...” cursed Yan, absorbing everything that had been said.

"No doubt," agreed Kuzou.

“So why... didn't you listen to Rohan...”

The almost inaudible whisper reached their ears in a subtle but no less acidic way. The target of those words just sighed. Yan swore his friend seemed to have aged at least twenty years since the hot springs.

“If you knew... if you agreed... why you insisted?” the girl seemed to come back to life, moved by anger. “Had you...!

The former agent interrupted her without mercy.

“…It would have been different? What do you think would have changed?”

“Don’t know! Maybe everything!” The girl screamed, tears running again.

Yan looked from one to the other, dumbfounded, not knowing what to do.

"I know that's how you would like things to be, but it’s not that simple," said the earthbender.

“Because you know everything, don't you? Is always right?” Exclaimed Ember.

“Ember...” Kuzou tried.

“No! Enough of your calculated words! No more plans, no more damn tactics!” Shouted the girl, scaring some of the nearby sailors.

Hearing those words and seeing his friend’s reactions, Yan finally realized something. It was the opposite of what she accused him of.

Remembering the times he saw his friend interacting with strangers, his attitude was different. He always knew what to say, he was never unprepared. All his actions were aimed at a specific result, an expected outcome. The person in front him, however, had no goal in mind, no final plan; things were _not_ going as expected. He just wanted to help. The poor guy was lost _because_ he wasn't doing the only thing he had always done.

That rare moment of epiphany seemed to restore the nomad's ability to act.

“Ember!” He exclaimed, drawing her attention. “He's doing his best.”

The girl did not seem to know how to respond to such an unusual situation. She was still angry, but was at a loss for words. The time to think seemed to calm her down, however. Her reasoning was visible, as she gradually noticed what she was doing. Soon she returned to her starting position.

Kuzou looked at him, also surprised, but clearly grateful.

 _You're welcome, friend_ , thought the airbender. Then he realized another detail. They _were_ friends. He couldn't tell the exact moment when they started to consider themselves friends, but he had no doubt everyone in the group cared for each other. That realization seemed to relax Yan.

“Ember, I understand your distress” the former agent took advantage of the silence. “Just as I explained to Rohan, there is a reason why I insisted.”

That seemed to get the girl's attention.

"You... already explained it to Rohan... and he accepted it...?" She asked, a little lost.

“Yes.”

“Which was obvious, hot head” said the nomad.

The mockery took the firebender by surprise, leaving her even more unresponsive. She stared at the nomad with a somewhat ridiculous expression.

A laugh cut through the night. They both looked at Kuzou, who smiled at them. Ember looked away, embarrassed. Not a hint of anger remained in her eyes.

“Where were we, again?” Asked the earthbender, still smiling. “Ah yes. In the end, there was no opportunity to explain myself with everything that was happening, but I insisted because Norkka's work made it possible for me to be here with you today.”

That caught their attention.

“Do you think one can just leave a resignation letter on the table of the chief of Dai Li and that’s it?”

An embarrassed silence answered him.

Yan wouldn't admit that he hadn't even thought about that, and apparently, the firebender followed suit.

Kuzou chuckled again.

“I did the unthinkable and left the Dai Li and I'm only here with you today because Norkka's work was solid, despite everything. Believing in him was a calculated risk; the benefits outweighed the evils.”

Now the nomad understood why his friend seemed to have adapted so quickly to their situation back in the Small Desert. He was already a wanted man; little had changed for him. His admiration for his companion kept increasing. Just like the pity he felt.

“S... sorry...” muttered the firebender, shy.

The former agent smiled warmly at her.

“Relax, everything is fine between us now.”

For a while, they let the sound of the sea take over.

"Kuzou," called the nomad, looking at the dark horizon. “Sorry if asking this is insensitive... but... how...” he didn't know how to say it.

The earthbender, as always, understood exactly what he was trying to ask.

"There's not much one can do, sorry," he replied, also looking at the horizon. “Each person deals with their first death in their own way.”

Ember sobbed.

The waves again took over the environment.

“Does it... does it get easier?” the thoughts did not cease to haunt him.

“Pray that it doesn’t.” Replied the former agent, somber.

Yan felt a chill go through his body.

“If it's been difficult for you, imagine for Rohan. He's the one who needs the most help right now” commented Kuzou.

“Where is he, anyway?” Asked the nomad, who had been too lost in his trance to notice where his friend had gone.

"Probably in his cabin," supposed the earthbender.

“We have cabins?” the nomad was surprised, pondering why they were lying in the middle of the deck if that was the case.

“Yes, I made a good deal” the former agent laughed in reply. “Anyway, our colleague must be suffering a lot.”

"He locked himself in there as soon as he arrived... he won't let anyone in... he won't even answer..." Ember said, the turmoil visible on her face.

It was clear she had tried. A brave attitude, considering the giant seemed bothered with her at back at the hut.

 _Wait_...

“Ember, how do you know so much, again?” Asked the airbender, having finally realized.

The girl seemed to shrink again and looked away. Kuzou, however, encouraged her. She seemed to give in.

 _Wait, am I the only one on the dark,_ again _?!_

"Calm down, Yan, I don't know that much, and what I do know, I noticed myself," said the earthbender, reading his mind.

The nomad snorted, but let him continue.

“I think it was obvious even to you that she knew Rohan beforehand, right?”

The airbender agreed, annoyed. The girl, however, seemed shocked by that fact. The former agent shrugged, as if to say "I'm sorry, you're too obvious". Ember looked away, once again embarrassed.

“It is clear that she was present in the events that we have just mentioned as well. We just don't know the details” continued Kuzou. “Do you mind telling us?”

He wasn't demanding, it was just a request. His look made it clear: everything was fine.

That seemed to make the girl yield.

 _Since when do they get along so well?_ Wondered the nomad.

“I...” The firebender took a deep breath. “I lived in Gaoling as well. From time to time, I would do services for their bakery.

“What?” Interrupted the airbender.

Kuzou’s gaze scolded him for cutting her short, and he decided he would be quiet from there on.

“I... had no job and needed money. Even though they were unable to hire me initially, they called me whenever possible to help. Thanks to them I didn't starve. They even found me a place to stay. I owe... a lot to them.”

Yan had many questions, but he did not have the courage to ask them. Luckily, Kuzou knew what he was doing. Without intruding, he encouraged her with just a glance.

“I... came to try my luck in the Earth Kingdom after leaving the Fire Nation, and Gaoling seemed to be the best option...”

_Poor innocent child_

“...things didn't go very well. I was alone, with no money and homeless in the most snobbish city in the kingdom. Luckily, I ended up meeting Nohro and they both were like... the parents I wish I had instead...” the tears came again, along with the sobs. “After Rohan was arrested... I swore to Nohro that I would rescue him. I would do anything for them. Had I just stayed...”

Ember was unable to continue. She shrank back into a ball while the sobs took over her.

They both let her release all the pain she felt.

“I don't understand...” Yan said, just to Kuzou, trying not to disturb the poor girl. “With all this... how, then, did the giant not recognize her?”

“Well, for starters, her hair was _blue_.”

The voice caught everyone's attention, even interrupting the firebender’s crying.

Behind the former agent, Rohan appeared, his huge shadow covering them. His eyes were red.

“R-Ro... Rohan...” sobbed the girl, with equally swollen eyes.

The giant walked over and crouched in front of her.

The hug took everyone but Kuzou by surprise.

After a few seconds of shock, the girl collapsed. Clinging to the colossus, any self-control she possessed was gone. Every anguish in her heart was being released by her uncontrolled crying. Rohan hugged her tightly, tears also streaming down his face.

Such was the suffering of that scene that Yan had to look away. He could barely control his own tears in the face of so much pain. He tried to distract his mind with random thoughts, like how he was no longer sick, or what the sailors would think of them after that night. Anything.

They continued like this for a time that seemed endless. Nothing nor anyone dared to interrupt them.

When they calmed down, at last, Rohan sat down with them, as if he had never been absent.

“Banana?” said Kuzou, offering the fruit to his friend.

Suddenly, they were all laughing. The laughter seemed to wash the souls of those involved.

"I accept, thank you, Mr. Kuzou," replied the giant, wiping away his tears.

Soon, everyone was eating, restoring their energy.

“So… Ember's hair was blue, was it?” provoked the former agent.

The girl looked away, a move characteristic by then.

“Wait, really?” Asked the nomad.

“Yeah. Her hair was blue as embers, and it was longer too” commented the colossus.

The fire bender seemed to want to disappear.

"I can't imagine that..." Yan said, shocked.

"It looked great on her, I must say," Rohan said, making the girl red as a pepper. "I do think I prefer them short, however," he continued warmly.

“But... how did they get black, then?” Asked the nomad, confused.

"It's not like I had many opportunities to dye my hair these days," she retorted acidly.

The answer was so obvious that the airbender stayed quiet, he deserved that one.

"I'll make a point of buying dye for your hair if I find it around," scoffed Kuzou.

"Shut up..." Ember blurted out. "But I wouldn't mind..." she went on softly, causing others to laugh.

“I admit I am curious to see that,” granted the airbender. “To confuse our huge friend so much it must be a dreadful sight,” he added.

The girl just gave him the finger.

“You exaggerating. It suits her well. So much so that I ended up missing it,” said the giant.

The firebender showed her tongue to Yan in defiance after hearing the compliment. It took a while for her to notice.

“Wait...” it was possible to see the information processing on her face.

“Do you really think I didn't recognize you eventually?” commented Rohan.

The girl was in pure disbelief.

“Yeah, I was about to ask that” mentioned the nomad. “But then why did you never mention anything?”

"She seemed so intent on keeping it a secret, I didn't want to ruin her plans," said the giant.

 _Now he sounds like a father, indeed,_ thought the airbender, while trying, and failing, to hold his laughter at the ridiculous expression the girl made. Even Kuzou laughed.

“You already knew all of this, didn't you?” Yan spat at his friend.

The former agent shrugged.

"I had my suspicions," he replied, with the biggest smile.

Ember tossed the banana peel at him, which he promptly dodged, without even looking at it.

“Son of a...!” Exclaimed the girl, frustrated.

Laughter filled the night again.

“I think that after this rollercoaster of emotions, we need a good rest” declared Kuzou, adjusting himself to get up.

Everyone agreed in silence.

“What's... the plan, now?” Asked the firebender, unsure.

The question seemed to bring the tension back.

"Basically the same," replied the former agent, rising. “We will discuss more about this tomorrow” finished, preventing any further addition to the subject.

Everyone got up and then left for their cabins.

Except Kuzou.

“Aren't you going?” Yan asked, after seeing his colleagues leave.

“You can go ahead, I still have to work out some details with the captain” he replied.

"I don't need to be a super secret agent to realize this is a lie," said the nomad.

Kuzou laughed.

"I'm glad you aren’t, because you're wrong," he said with a smile. “Just because I used something as an excuse, it doesn't necessarily means it’s a lie.”

_Smart-ass_

“Don't make me drag you to your cabin.”

“You didn't even know we had cabins, how are you going to drag me to them?” Scoffed the former agent.

_Why do I even bother, again?_

“Relax, I'm going,” he laughed, reading the nomad's expression. “But since you seem so determined, why don't you take the opportunity and say what's actually on your mind?”

_Of course he noticed_

Yan didn't want to bring that issue back then, especially around Rohan and Ember. But he couldn't control his restlessness, even if he tried to distract himself or make jokes.

“Kuzou...”

Sensing the weight of the question, the former agent's stance became serious.

"How long had Rohan's fiancé been... dead... when you found him?" the nomad's effort to speak was clear.

The friend did not respond. The silence seemed to be the answer to what he feared.

“It was recent, wasn't it? His death,” he insisted.

Again only silence came to meet him.

“While we were bathing in the hot springs, enjoying paradise, Nohro was...”

“Yan” tried the earthbender.

The nomad, however, ignored him this time.

“If we hadn't stopped there...” the nomad felt his hands tremble.

“Yan...”

“If I hadn't insisted we go there...”

“Yan!”

The raised voice managed to reach the airbender.

“Calm down. Do you realize that you are literally blaming yourself for not being able to predict the future?”

The nomad didn't know what to say to that.

“There is no point letting what has passed and it is immutable consume you. Focus on changing the future.”

“B-but...”

“Let's go to sleep. We are all in need of a good rest,” cut off Kuzou, escorting him to the cabins.

“I don't know if that's possible...”

“You'd be surprised.”

And with those last words, they remained silent until they reached their destination. With a short "good night", the former agent left him alone with his thoughts in front of his cabin door. Yan did not enter immediately, trying to calm his mind with the words he had just heard.

Another thing came to mind, however.

What was going on in _Kuzou's_ head? The colleague looked more tired than usual. Did he even believe the things he said? Could it be _he_ blamed himself for not being able to predict the future?

The nomad looked down the hall, but his friend had long since disappeared.


	18. Chapter 17: Dark Water

Kuzou woke up, startled.

His head hurt. The room started to rotate due to his abrupt rise, but after a few seconds of staying still, things started to return to normal. A sepulchral silence filled the room, following the slight sway of the boat.

He rubbed his eyes, trying to organize his thoughts. Based on the tiredness he felt, he had barely slept for three hours, which indicated it was between three and four in the morning. He confirmed this assumption on his watch with an exhausted sigh. Nights like that were not unusual, quite the contrary, but the fatigue was building up too much. The former agent was already noticing negative effects of the most varied, both psychological and physical. If it persisted, he would soon be incapacitated. In fact, a normal person would have already collapsed.

And then there he was again, always alert, waking up to the slightest disturbance. A bed should have been better than the hard ground and its endless vibrations always pestering him, but in the end, he had grown accustomed to the uncomfortable alternative. Not feeling the ever-reliable vibrations of the earth was what bothered him now; he was left vulnerable, something he couldn't afford.

Not that logical reasons like that were the only thing that took him out of his sleep. He also had nightmares, like every human being, after all. But many times he had woken up by pure intuition, simply because he _felt_ something wrong.

This was one of those times.

All that surrounded him was silence, and it bothered him. Something about that lull seemed disingenuous.

It was futile to resist that feeling; he was not going to be able to relax. He picked up the small bag he had bought back in the port from above the nightstand and stood up.

With his hand on the bedroom wall, he closed his eyes and began to pay attention to the vibrations, looking for something out of the ordinary. It was not possible to feel with earthbending in the ship's non-bendable metal alloy, but any sound would come first through the solid material.

It didn't take long to find what he was looking for.

Without making a sound, he left the room. The dark corridor greeted him with the same silence. He went to the right, where the vibration had come from.

He stopped when he reached Yan's cabin. The door was ajar, and no sound came from inside. He checked discreetly and confirmed his friend was not in his quarters. No signs of confrontation.

Ever more suspicious, Kuzou moved on.

The sound reached his ears before he reached Rohan's cabin. Hiding in the corridor, the former agent watched, ready to attack.

The door was wide open and two unknown men seemed to be watching what was going on inside the noisy room. Despite not recognizing who they were, he managed to identify _what_ they were by the clothes. A third one appeared hurled from the room, startling and driving the other two away from the door. The giant left shortly thereafter, trying to get rid of a fourth fool that clung to his back desperately.

Kuzou smiled. _You caught him at the worst possible moment._

With a violent movement of his arm, the colossus knocked down one of the nearest men, while trying to get rid of the parasite clinging to his neck. The only one still standing drew a dagger and prepared to attack.

_I don't think so_

He bent one of the metal balls from the bag at his waist and shot it like a bullet. The poor man didn't even know what pierced his arm. Before his dagger fell to the ground, the ball permanently incapacitated the two men on the ground and pierced the blade owner's leg on it’s way back.

Without noticing the man's screams, or the lack of resistance from his attackers, Rohan managed to grab the prick on his back and beat him until he was unconscious. The former agent decided not to get in the way while his friend relieved stress. When the giant began to find the man whimpering beside him strange, he revealed himself.

“Rohan.”

His friend jumped slightly.

“Kuzou! Oh, good,” said the colossus, relieved.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, just a few scratches. These men tried to invade my room,” he mentioned when he saw his friend kneel over the wounded man. “They would have taken me by surprise had I been sleeping.”

If there was anyone who had a "right" to not be able to sleep that night, it was his huge friend.

"Our pirate fellow here was unlucky this time," laughed the former agent, acid. The man looked at him, afraid.

“Pirates?” Exclaimed the giant, incredulous. “It is not possible for us to have so much bad luck.”

“Ah, but they're not here by chance, are they?” Asked Kuzou to the shivering man in front of him.

Without waiting for an answer, he bent three balls out of the bag and levitated them on the palm of his hand.

"You have _this_ many chances to tell me what you're doing here," continued the former agent, indicating the metal balls that swirled in his hand as he met the pirate's eyes. “The first one will hurt you. The second will castrate you. The third will kill you.”

Fear was visible on the injured man's face, but he seemed to want to resist. His spark of defiance did not have time to form, however. The first ball flew towards his foot and broke his left pinky toe.

Rohan felt a shiver all over his body when he saw that, remembering all the times he had hit his pinky on objects.

“You son of a bitch!” Shouted the pirate in agony. “I will...!”

The ball stopped his empty threat by breaking his big toe. As if it had just been an accident, the sphere went straight to the right knee, lodging itself inside the bone. The resulting crack was not pleasant, much less the screams that followed.

Slowly, the now red ball, levitated out of the man's leg. It floated in front of his face, drawing his attention, and then returned to the former agent's bag.

In other words: only two remained.

The pirate, in pain, did not let that detail go unnoticed. He glanced at his groin in desperation. Kuzou remained silent.

“W-we were hired... to intercept a-any boat that left the seaport...” stammered the man, finally. “To capture... a-abomination ...”

"Figures," Rohan spat sourly.

“The strategy was to surrender the crew and targets discreetly, correct?” Asked the former agent. The pirate nodded. “You gathered them on the main deck, I imagine.” affirmed, scaring even more the poor fool, who nodded.

A loud sound from above caught the attention of those present. Kuzou recognized the sounds of a clash.

"There goes the discretion, it seems," observed the former agent.

A metal sphere hit the pirate's forehead, leaving him dizzy, and then retracted to the bag. As if the metal ball had done this on it’s on free will, Kuzou had already left the man behind as he headed towards the commotion on the deck. Despite being taken by surprise, Rohan soon followed him.

"I hope you are good at metalbending," he said, throwing a handful of silver orbs at the giant.

"I can handle myself," he said in reply.

"Good. That's Ember's cabin," he pointed out ahead. “Verify if she's there. I'll take care of our visitors.”

Before the colossus could process that information, two pirates appeared at the end of the corridor. As suddenly as they came, they collapsed. Two reddish spheres returned to the silver procession that surrounded his friend's hand.

Swallowing lightly, the giant did as he was asked.

The firebender was nowhere to be found. Judging by the mess, however, she hadn't been captured quietly.

"We must hurry," declared the giant.

The friend nodded and they both started running. Three more pirates appeared on their way, but were knocked down so fast that Rohan was not even able to bend metal. Soon they were on the staircase that led outside.

"Get ready," Kuzou said, as they ran up the steps. The giant took that warning seriously.

The misty night received them. So did a dozen pirates. Reflecting the moonlight, the silver orbs looked like stars as they flew through the night, and yet, imperceptible to their victims. Despite not having the same skill as his friend, the colossus managed to take down three of them.

The pirates fell so fast that even the crewmembers, who were tied on their knees in the middle of the deck, were startled. A shouting starboard caught their attention.

The pirate ship was much bigger than the small vessel they had rented, and it was so close to their boat that a single jump was enough to board them. And the hundred rascals who were screaming above them on the enemy deck seemed about to do just that.

“Rohan! I'll take care of them” said the former agent to his incredulous friend. "You help Ember and Yan," he continued, preventing him from protesting.

That shut the giant up. He hadn't even found his companions, who were probably in danger.

Pirates started to jump onto their boat. The bag burst when the former agent bent all the metal balls. Most of the invaders were thrown against the ship's hull, directly into the sea, and those who managed to land were soon punctured with the same violence. It did not take long for the fog to begin to redden.

Trusting his friend, and at the same time a little scared by him, the colossus went looking for his colleagues.

Both were lying on the floor, unconscious. The giant's heart sank. They _had_ to be fine. He would not be able to endure another tragedy. Anxious, Rohan measured their pulse.

He sighed with relief. They were fine, just a little hurt and, for some reason, wet.

“Kuzou! I found them!” He exclaimed.

“What’s wrong with them?” Yelled back his friend, without pausing his attacks for even a second.

“I don't know exactly, they are unconscious, but I don't know how or why” started the colossus.

His hands did not respond when he tried to gesture.

_What the...,_ he thought, startled.

He tried again. Nothing. He couldn't feel his hands. His arms were still normal, but it was as if there was nothing above his wrists. He banged his fingers against the hard floor. Nothing. Neither pain nor anything. Nothing seemed wrong with them, however, except...

Since when were his hands wet? Not only that, for some reason, the liquid was yellowish.

He understood then.

“Rohan?” the former agent was worried.

“They are covered in some strange liquid! I touched it and now I don't feel my hands!” Shouted the giant.

“What?!”

The pirates had taken a break from the attack, as if seeing several of their fellow men massacred affected them. Kuzou knew it wasn't that, but he thanked the truce nonetheless. He was already seeing everything blurred. Fatigue had reached him after all; he wasn't going to last much longer. And that news from Rohan...

A paralyzing liquid. He knew who used such a method. It was very characteristic.

As if to confirm his fear, the pirates on the enemy deck moved away and a dark figure went to the edge of the boat to face him.

_Shit,_ cursed Kuzou.

The figure had every inch of its body covered with black fabrics, which the former agent knew were waterproof. Only its eyes were visible between the dark robes that hid its face. So dark were his clothes that his aspect mixed with the shadows, being only noticeable because of the moon behind him.

That was bad. Their disadvantage was now ridiculous. He didn't know how to get out of that situation.

The shadow raised its arms. A huge wave invaded their boat and hit the giant.

“Rohan!” Howled Kuzou.

The friend had disappeared, taken by the wave, along with his unconscious colleagues.

His only chance against such a situation was to eliminate the waterbender in a single stroke.

He gathered all the metal balls he owned and bent them, molding the shape of each one, until they were as sharp as needles. They would thus pass through any wall of water or ice the enemy could bend.

As expected, the shadow raised a wall of water between them. However, floating inside, were his friends. Among them, only the giant was conscious, struggling.

This would not be an impediment under normal circumstances; he was more than able to avoid his friends and hit all the needles on his target. However, at that time, the former agent was literally seeing _three_ of every single thing present. He had compensated until that moment with area attacks.

_Damnit. Not now. Concentrate, calm down..._

He had hesitated for too long, however.

The water wall rose, and the extraordinary displacement of the sea bellow turned the boat over, plunging Kuzou, and everyone on deck, into the icy darkness.

Kuzou woke up, his consciousness gradually returning to reality.

He did not remember when nor how he had passed out. His last memory was falling into the sea and being enveloped by the pitch black that was mixed with his unconsciousness. He remembered everything else, however.

He didn't have to look for his friends. They surrounded him, chained to the floor like him. He noticed that they were sleeping as best as they could against the walls of the cell in which they were. They looked well, everything considered.

With his greatest concern resolved, he concentrated on analyzing the environment. It was obvious they were on the pirate ship that had approached them. His cell was improvised from what had once been a cabin, from before the boat was taken by pirates. In a superficial inspection, he had managed to identify at least fifteen usable faults, but he knew the real problem was outside his quarters.

Even excluding the mercenary who incapacitated them, he knew the Avatar and his minions would not leave the supposed Abomination in the hands of some rascals. No, some sort of special entourage would be in charge of escorting them. Therefore, the two figures out of sight the former agent had identified guarding the cell entrance were dangerous unknown variables.

First, however, it would be interesting to regain his notion of time. He was able to have a vague idea of the period that he had been out cold based on the pain he felt from being in an uncomfortable position for too long, but the margin of error was too great. His colleagues wouldn't be able to know it, either, but he might be able to come up with a better deduction by crossing their information.

Coming to this conclusion, Kuzou made a slight sound to wake his companions. As expected, Rohan was the first to open his eyes.

“Kuzou! You are awake!” the giant sighed with relief.

The other two awoke to the voice of the earthbender. They were not the only ones who responded to that comment, however. As he had imagined, his awakening caught the attention of the guards at the door. One of them put his head in his field of vision, curious. The other did not reach that far, but his shadow, visible through the door bars, betrayed the same reaction.

The former agent smiled.

“Two threats down. They are not a problem. They must be employees of the now defunct ‘museum’, subordinates of Yikki,” he concluded.

“How long was I unconscious?” He asked.

"Without a doubt, more than a full day," replied the colossus. “We were very worried.”

"We were afraid you wouldn't wake up..." Yan commented, nervous.

Ember said nothing, but her red eyes said everything he needed to know.

Despite all the misfortune they went through and the situation they were currently in, Kuzou swallowed a happy smile at that reception.

“Are you okay?” Asked Rohan.

“Great. I was in need of a good rest,” joked the former agent, despite being the truth. He felt refreshed. “You?”

"Despite everything, we're fine," said the giant. “Whoever captured us knew how to do it with such efficiency that it didn't even hurt us.”

“It was surreal. In one moment everything was normal, in the next, I was on the floor without being able to move, and wet, to top it all off” explained the nomad, confused. The girl shook her head, agreeing.

“Yes, that strange liquid...” mentioned the colossus, looking at his hands.

"It was poison," said Kuzou, drawing everyone's attention. “Paralyzing poison.”

“For real?” the airbender was shocked. “But how...”

“You have probably heard of Kuro of the Black Water, I imagine?” Interrupted the former agent.

Silence took over the environment.

_Shit, shit, shit,shit,shitshitshit..._

"It’s not unfamiliar...,” pondered Rohan.

“You gonna tell me that this guy not only _exists_ , but is also who captured us?!” Exclaimed Yan, terrified.

“Is he some kind of legend?” Asked the giant, lost.

"Well, I wouldn't say a legend, but... well, no one has ever seen the guy," replied the nomad.

"Something intentional, no doubt," Kuzou countered. “He's quite famous in the underworld. An exceptional mercenary, respected even by the Dai Li. He is also known as a poison master, always carrying toxins of the most varied types. A _poisonbender_ , one might say.”

As expected, an uncomfortable silence settled between them.

"It's too much bad luck..." Yan complained.

“It is a complicated situation, indeed.”

“Understatement of the century!” exasperated the nomad.

“What do we do now?” Whispered Ember, speaking at last.

Her question seemed to silence the group. Everyone looked at the former agent, predictably.

Kuzou sighed, resigned. He wondered if they even realized they did that involuntarily.

The truth, however, was that the situation did not yet have a solution. Not that he was going to say that to his colleagues.

"We remember that the walls have ears, that’s what we do" he countered, pointing to the entrance.

The shadows in the corridor seemed to shrink as they felt the stares in their direction.

The companions got the message: they couldn't talk too much. With the silence of his colleagues guaranteed, Kuzou could concentrate on finding a way to get them out of that struggle.

If that was even possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll have to keep at this 2-week schedule for a while. Hopefully, not for long.


	19. Chapter 18: Chained (Part 1)

The ship's daily routine was simple.

Four people took turns guarding their cell, all Yikki’s subordinates. From what Kuzou had been able to hear through the walls, two more patrolled the same deck and served as intermediaries between the party that was responsible for escorting them and the pirates. They were fed twice a day by those same guards, just enough not to starve. None spoke to them. Kuzou knew it was out of fear. They had done a great deal of damage until they were caught, after all. When they (thought) they were out of sight of the prisoners, though, they did not know how to keep quiet. The former agent thanked them for that.

However, they were not the only ones who had difficulty not speaking. His colleagues were not used to that kind of situation. Keeping silent, deprived of information, especially by Kuzou, was driving them crazy.

"You know, when I said you guys had to be careful, I didn't mean you had to go three days without speaking a word," the former agent finally released.

“For fuck’s sake!” Exclaimed Yan. “Couldn't you have said that earlier?”

"I wanted to see how long you guys would endure," laughed Kuzou.

“You...” began the nomad.

What he wasn't going to say was that the silence had been very useful. It increased the dread of the guards and allowed him to concentrate on the surroundings. Three days of pure calm, without demands or attacks, had not been bad either.

The friends seemed to relax, as if they had been holding their breaths the whole time. Their situation had not improved, but Kuzou preferred to leave them like this before they ended up asphyxiating. Fortunately, in the hours that followed, they seemed to understand better what they could and could not do.

He had not been as successful in formulating an escape plan, however.

His biggest problem, Kuro of the Black Water, did not bother to watch them and he seemed to be at odds with both the escort group and the pirates, which kept him away and isolated. These matters seemed to be beyond his contract, but Kuzou knew he was somewhere on the ship, ready, should a new job opportunity arise. A word from the commander of their escorting party and he would be on top of them again.

This same commander, incidentally, was the second problem. He had only been on their deck once since Kuzou came back to consciousness; and as quickly as he had appeared, he was gone, without even getting close to the cell. All the guards went silent when he appeared, their uneasiness as clear as day. None of them liked the commander, something they made very apparent in the chat that followed. What they didn't say, but the former agent noticed nonetheless, was that they feared him. All these details made him a dangerous unknown variable.

These two variables hindered any kind of minimally acceptable planning. They didn't have all the time in the world, however. News of the Abomination's capture would undoubtedly have arrived on dry land, and their destination was still unknown. Reinforcements could appear at any moment, and the former agent doubted the reception upon arrival on land would be any easier to deal with than the current situation.

No, they would have to act soon, and it would be all or nothing.

The guards' sudden silence interrupted his reasoning.

_Speaking of the devil..._

The commander's footsteps echoed across the silent deck.

Kuzou did not intend to let that chance pass. He took the screw he had removed from the handcuff that chained him to the floor and adjusted it between his fingers. He aimed carefully between the door bars, doing the calculations in his mind, while waiting for the right moment. When he realized the steps would not come any closer, he fired.

The bolt flew, surprising his cellmates, bounced off the opposite wall of the corridor, and hit its target.

“AH! Fuck, my eye!” The guard on the left yelled.

The screw didn't have the strength, nor size, to scratch skin, but considering the target, none of that was necessary.

The friends turned to him, shocked. Kuzou ignored them, focused on the events.

As expected, the steps began to approach.

“What the fuck was that?” continued the stricken guard, while his colleague went to his aid, confused.

“Is there a problem?” Said the commander, becoming visible between the door bars.

Kuzou froze.

"N-no, sir," the guard stammered, composing himself. “Just a... speck in the eye.”

As planned, wanting to get rid of the commander's unwanted presence as quickly as possible, the guard made up an excuse and bowed his head.

But Kuzou didn't care about that anymore. Their situation had just gotten _even_ _worse_.

As the commander turned to leave, the former agent's mind started racing as fast as possible. An opportunity now presented itself, but he had mere seconds to assess whether that madness was worth it.

He looked at the people who shared the cell with him, all staring back, scared and worried.

The pressure he was putting on his fists relaxed. Lowering his face, Kuzou smiled sourly.

_When did I get so soft?_ He laughed.

The commander was already walking away. Resolute, the former agent began to hit his two platinum-wrapped wrists, producing a rhythmic sound. He ignored all the attention he received and just focused on producing the clatter.

The steps stopped for a second. And then they went on, away from the cell.

_It's done._

Kuzou stopped beating his handcuffs, sighing deeply.

There was no turning back. There was exactly _one_ chance now; if he failed in his bet, they would not escape. All or nothing, indeed.

"Kuzou..." whispered Ember, nervous. “What is happening?”

“I'm sorry, my friends.” replied the former agent, never before this serious. “But from now on, you _will_ _have_ to go without speaking.”

The next few hours were not easy.

The tension in that cell was eating away at his friends in ways never seen before. The fact that Kuzou was so serious and worried terrified them. The former agent, for his part, noticed this detail clearly, but knew he could not do much for them. The situation _was_ serious, and they had to understand this and learn to deal with the new circumstances from there on. It was probably only going to get worse.

Kuzou deduced it was around three in the morning when he showed up.

His colleagues did not notice his presence, nor the absence of the guards. Now that he knew whom he was dealing with, he was understandably more cautious. The same could be said about Kuzou.

The ghost of his past appeared between the door bars, his eyes clearly visible despite the, undoubtedly manufactured, darkness of the environment.

"It’s been a while, Xeng Lao," hissed Kuzou.

His companions jumped when the silence was broken, but soon froze with fear when they noticed the shadow that faced them.

_They are too easy of a prey_ , thought the former agent.

"To think you would be found here, of all places," the commander was amused.

“Yeah, life is full of surprises.”

“Being captured in such a way... you’re not the same, Kuzou.”

"Maybe that says more about you than it does about me," he replied, acid.

That hit a nerve. The shadow's smile faltered.

“How's the civil war going?” continued.

He could see by the faces of his friends that they were beginning to understand the situation.

The agent did not respond immediately. Only the two of them knew the amount of analysis that went into each answer given; how much information could be shared, while avoiding wasting time on traps too complicated to be worth the effort. Sometimes even honesty could be effective.

The commander smiled sourly, reaching that conclusion.

“The Dai Li is divided, as you may have imagined. Two factions, each on one side of the conflict,” he said, grim.

"The Dai Li itself is in a civil war, therefore," said Kuzou. "It must be difficult for you," he went on, mocking.

"You could at least _try_ to pretend you're not happy about it," said the agent.

“Waste of time, you know the truth.”

“Why, are you in a hurry, by any chance?” Xeng Lao smiled.

“Who knows? I haven't had much time to handle things calmly these days.”

“Yes. I'm aware of the facts. You people weren't exactly... subtle.”

The agent looked at Rohan, analyzing the man accused of being the biggest target the organization has ever had. The giant, despite the apparent restlessness, managed to sustain his gaze.

_Good one, big guy_ , thought Kuzou.

Then his gaze went to the other two. Ember and Yan were unable to maintain eye contact for long, but they held their heads high, without wavering. The agent soon lost interest in the two, finding them irrelevant. Kuzou, on the other hand, was proud of his colleagues.

“I can't deny that I'm intrigued. I cannot fathom what led you to get involved in this circumstances” pondered the commander, turning his eyes back to the supposed Abomination.

"Dai Li's greatest enemy: chance," replied Kuzou, with a slight smile.

"This makes me even more curious," Lao smiled back.

“Good. Perhaps it is possible to sate this curiosity.”

“Really? And how do you intend to do that?” He asked.

“We will have plenty of time to talk when we are working together again.”

The agent's smile faded. His friends were unable to hide their surprise.

"Explain," demanded the commander, curtly.

“I offer my help in the civil war.”

Silence washed over the room, accompanied by the smooth rocking of the boat.

“Why would I believe you would do such a thing?” inquired Xeng Lao.

Kuzou showed his wrists, held by a large chain that came out of the ground.

“Does it look like I have a choice?”

The smile returned to the agent's face.

“And what makes you think we would need you? A single man?”

“You seem to need any help you can get” Kuzou sneered in response, stealing the smile from the commander's face again. “Besides, there would be four people.”

Xeng Lao turned his eyes to his colleagues, who did not know who to look at in that situation.

"Your request got even more ridiculous," he scoffed.

“What?” Kuzou said, pretending to be offended. “Are you telling me that having the alleged abomination in Dai Li's exclusive care does not interest you?”

The agent did not respond.

“Do I really need to explain to you how you literally have nothing to lose? If Dai Li reached such a deplorable level...”

“Don't push your luck, Kuzou.” threatened.

“Far from it, Lao. I am not lucky enough for that. I push _bad_ luck,” he countered, looking at him, sinister.

The agent narrowed his eyes. The tension in the room seemed to double as the two challenged each other. Yan didn't know how much more of it he could take.

Just as it suddenly intensified, the tension relaxed.

"One last thing, Kuzou," said the commander at last.

“All ears.”

“Is he the Abomination?”

His friends seemed to freeze. Their nervousness increased even more, something that seemed impossible before. Kuzou, however, responded immediately.

“No.”

The eyes met again, testing each other.

Kuzou smirked.

“Thankfully, right?”

Without deigning to answer, the agent withdrew, leaving only silence behind.

None of his colleagues dared to break the stillness.

It was done.

Allowing himself to relax, Kuzou leaned against the wall, trying to ignore the weight of his chains.

His cellmates stared at him, with a myriad of feelings stamped on their faces. Despite this, they did not have the courage to release their voices. Something ironic, considering that was probably the only time they _could_ talk. He calculated that they had at least one more minute before the guards returned from wherever Xeng Lao sent them.

“And now?” Kuzou released, remembering the question they always asked at times like that. And without a doubt, their attention doubled when they heard that. “Now, my friends… we wait.”


	20. Chapter 19: Chained (Part 2)

The days passed.

Nothing in the usual routine changed. The guards' conversations continued in the same inattentive manner as before, and they seemed to know nothing about the commander's visit. They complained about him and the pirates as if nothing had changed because, for them, nothing _had_.

Inside the cell, however, the atmosphere was different. It was worse than ever. With each unworthy day that passed, the negative emotions intensified. The suffering from before the agent's visit seemed minuscule in comparison.

There was not much Kuzou could do to help them. With a member of the Dai Li present, he could not afford to make mistakes, nor allow his friends to do so. He did his best to calm them down, but his options were limited.

And so, the days, filled with painful silence, went on.

Until the sound of change finally came, in the form of screams.

Kuzou opened his eyes immediately. His colleagues continued to sleep.

The shouting was followed by the noise of conflict. The guards were not at their usual spots. The chance of these facts being unrelated was minimal.

Certain that was a signal, Kuzou finally acted. He waved his arms and the chains that held him fell down. He had disassembled that joke of a handcuff on the first day he came back to consciousness, keeping them on his wrists so as not to arouse suspicion.

The noise of the chains woke his friends. Ignoring their shock, he crossed the cell and started to free Ember.

"No time for questions," interrupted the former agent, before they started. “Ember, as soon as I release you, melt Yan's chains, I'll deal with the cuffs on his wrists afterwards. Rohan, you can break the chains yourself.”

Following the instructions, soon everyone was free. Kuzou went to the door and grabbed the bars. Nonchalant, he lifted the door, forcing the joints, exposing the lock's connection to the wall.

"Rohan, give this a kick, will you," he asked. “Don’t hold back.”

Although confused, the giant did as instructed. The door opened with such force it almost left its axis.

"Ember, Yan," called the former agent, alerting them. “We’re counting on you.”

Luckily, they understood. They were the only ones who could bend in that situation. Although nervous, they both nodded, focused.

Without further ado, Kuzou moved on, with his friends close behind.

Their deck was deserted. The table where his captors once avoided their duties was a mess, making it clear that whoever had been there had left in a hurry. The muffled sounds of confusion on the upper decks echoed through the empty space, vibrating the utensils scattered around the place.

These same sounds confirmed Kuzou's suspicions: they were below sea level. They would have a lively climb ahead of them.

They ran up the stairs at the end of the corridor in an awkward formation that the former agent had no time to fix. As they climbed the steps, the sound grew louder, bringing the chaos closer.

With an obvious gesture, Kuzou told them to stop. He hid in the corner of the exit of one of the corridors. A second later, a man entered the flight of stairs.

It was one of the cell guards.

Panting, he stopped when he saw the fugitives. Before he could react, Kuzou, out of sight, grabbed him from behind, choking him. His attempts to remove the arm from his neck stopped as he lost consciousness. As soon as he felt the guard go limp, the former agent dropped him against the stairs and, without looking twice, went back up the steps. Fearful of being left behind, the colleagues followed, dodging the unconscious person.

They kept going up, ignoring the mess that now surrounded them on the upper decks. They couldn't avoid conflict forever, though. The staircase ended before it reached the main deck, forcing them to change course, straight to the heart of the chaos.

Between them and the nearest exit, pirates fought, among themselves and against some lost guards. The deck above them seemed no less troubled, considering the noise. No one had noticed them yet.

"Yan," called the former agent, impassive. "Make a path," he ordered to a frightened nomad.

Kuzou didn't wait for him to reason, leaving for the stairs.

Desperate, the nomad let out as much wind as he could, throwing all the people nearby away. Rohan didn't even let him appreciate his feat, dragging him to the exit.

The night received them for the first time in days. But the stars were not visible. Little was. A heavy fog covered them, its thickness such that not even the edges of the ship were in sight. Clashes took place all around, but only their sounds reached them.

Kuzou ran to starboard, avoiding conflicts. He leaned over the edge, looking out to sea. Only the fog could be seen.

"Yan," he said when his friends reached him. “Can you open the mist a little?”

“Er, I think... so?” He replied, unsure.

“Try it, please. If possible, only at sea level.”

Cursing the former agent mentally, the nomad did the best he could.

The dark sea appeared against the hull of the vessel. From bow to stern, the waves revealed themselves, their lack of order indicating the ship was not moving.

Screams closer than they should be caught the attention of the group. Some pirates had spotted them. Yan exaggerated on the force of the air he had used to dispel the fog and now they were more exposed.

"Port, now," said Kuzou, ignoring the visitors.

Rohan took the lead, tossing one of the pirates out of sight with a strong movement of his arm. The other barely had time to scream before he was also thrown back into the fog. Kuzou went on as if nothing had happened.

The path to the other side of the ship was more hectic than they expected. Several pirates ended up running into them, even if accidentally. The former agent, however, did not slow down for a second, as if he expected them to take care of the threats that arose. Yan, for his part, was baffled that they were doing just that. Fire, air and pure muscle alternated themselves intercepting enemies, with a coordination and efficiency that none of those present thought they were capable of. Out of sight, Kuzou smiled slightly.

When they reached the edge, the former agent again asked to dispel the fog. The group then finally understood the reason for the friend's request.

Floating, tied to the side of the pirate ship, was a small motorboat.

"What the..." began Ember, confused.

“Yan, can you cushion our fall?” Interrupted Kuzou.

“Uh, what... Ah, y-yes, I think so!” Said the nomad, running over the words.

"Rohan," was all the former agent said.

Nodding, the giant jumped over the railing, towards the sea.

_Fuck!_ Cursed the nomad, surprised, fumbling to try to prevent the colossus from getting hurt. The friend's weight didn't help, but he managed to keep him from face-planting.

Ember was next. Although she was clearly nervous, she did not hesitate nor complain. Rohan helped her land.

Kuzou waved to the nomad and then jumped. Yan wasted no time in following him. As soon as his feet touched the floor, the boat started at full speed.

Everyone watched in silence as the ship was engulfed by mist as they left their prison behind.

Yan threw himself against the hard floor of the boat and let out a hoarse scream, releasing all the pressure on his body and mind. It was as if all that time he was suffocating. Which had some truth to it.

Ember followed suit, her scream even louder, tears streaming down through her closed eyelids. Rohan just sighed heavily as he lay down, exhaling his tension in a more unobtrusive, but no less intense, way.

"Well said," agreed Kuzou, in the wheel.

"I thought I would never leave that place," sobbed Ember.

Everyone consented in silence.

“I didn't even understand what happened in the end, but what matters is that we are safe” exasperated the nomad.

“I will never again take the beautiful sight of the stars for granted” said the girl, admiring the lights in the sky.

"Indeed," nodded the airbender.

"I didn't even notice the fog disappear," Rohan realized.

“Good, that means we are far away from that hell.”

"It didn't seem like that much time have passed," said Ember.

"This little boat is faster than we imagined, then," added the nomad, sitting down to watch the horizon.

Despite the darkness, the fog was still visible in the distance.

“Is it normal for fogs to do that?” Yan was surprised.

The friends sat down to observe as well.

As they moved away, the tiny size of the mist became more evident. The way it concentrated on just one specific point on the horizon didn't seem natural.

“Now that you mention it...” noticed the giant.

"It's artificial," said Kuzou, finally breaking his silence.

Everyone looked at him. The former agent remained with his back to them, piloting the boat.

“You mean...” began the nomad.

“Yes, made by a waterbender” completed. “A widely used tactic, in fact.”

A brief stillness took over the night.

"That explains why the fog was so... humid," released the airbender, resigned to the fact.

“Do you think it was this Kuro you mentioned before doing the fog?” Asked the giant.

“Perhaps. Pirates also love to use this ability. Probably both were using it,” replied the former agent.

"I’m even more confused," complained the girl.

"That makes two of us," Yan agreed.

"I think we're all pretty lost in the matter," said the giant. “Could you help us, Kuzou?”

The friend was slow to answer.

“What do you want to know?”

"Well, mostly, how we got away," replied the nomad.

"Yes," Rohan said. “It seemed so... easy. I suppose the... _agent_... has something to do with it?”

“Indeed. He set up our escape.”

“Bullshit! We did everything!” Exclaimed Yan, outraged.

“He did enough to create the possibility of escape. If we were not able to seize the opportunity, we did not deserve to escape; we would have no use for him. The conflict, the boat; everything planned. Or did you think it was just a coincidence?

“Ah, well... n-no, but...” stammered the nomad.

“Not even I was aware of the situation. I had to stay alert and ready to go if something happened.”

“Wait,” reasoned the airbender. “ _If?_ You mean to tell me that nothing could have happened? That we could have been waiting there indefinitely?”

“Yes, he not accepting the proposal was a possibility.”

The nomad fell silent, absorbing that information.

“To tell you the truth, I'm still surprised he accepted,” said the giant. “It seemed obvious it was a bluff.”

“It was quite advantageous, even if it was.”

“Really?” Ember was surprised. “I thought that part was a bluff too. I can't see the benefits.”

Kuzou gave a slight sour smile that his friends could not see.

“I think this makes sense when you don't see the whole picture. Let me explain” he said, still without leaving his position on the wheel.

“First of all, I need to mention the fact that the members of the Dai Li are extremely proud. They consider themselves the elite. The fear people feel when they hear the name of the organization makes them intoxicated; to the point they cultivate it in their favor. You are living proof. A 'mere civil war' won’t change that.

Now think about the situation: a mercenary, along with a bunch of simple pirates, captured not only the most wanted being on the planet, who despite always being Dai Li's top priority, never came close to falling into the hands of the organization; but a fugitive from Dai Li _itself_ as well, an event that, according to them, _never_ happened. My mere existence is of the highest confidentiality, considering the threat to their reputation. I am obviously not the only person who tried to escape, but it is not information they let out. There is _nothing_ wrong with the Dai Li. The Dai Li is _perfect_ , _unable_ to make mistakes.

Are you beginning to understand? In a single stroke, their ‘flawless’ reputation would suffer an irreversible blow.

My proposal was the perfect way out. The idea of the incompetence of others to deal with such a situation would be reinforced, the supposed Abomination would be in the hands of the organization, and the fugitive, _who never existed in the first place_ , would be back as if he had never left. All Xeng Lao had to do was to release himself from the responsibility for the escape and it would all fall into his lap. He would even get our help in the civil war as a bonus, however insignificant it could be."

The sounds of the sea took over the environment. A long time passed before anyone dared to interrupt that symphony.

“Damn...” Yan sighed, not knowing how to answer.

"You never stop surprising, Kuzou," smiled Rohan.

“Indeed! You tricked a Dai Li agent!” Exclaimed Ember cheerfully.

Kuzou did not answer.

His hand was injured, such was the strength with which he gripped the helm. His fingers were trembling slightly. He was not being able to control his emotions as efficiently as he used to.

"You... overestimate me too much..." he whispered.

“W-What do you mean?” Stammered the nomad, caught off guard by his friend's tone.

Kuzou took a deep breath, composing himself.

"I didn't do any miracles," he said, turning to face his friends for the first time since they started sailing. “Nor did I lie. The deal is done, and we _are_ going to have to do our part. Whether we want it or not.

The former agent saw the confusion in the eyes of his teammates as they tried to understand the facts. Soon the fear began to appear.

_Sorry. It was the only alternative I could find,_ he thought, feeling guilty.

"I-I see." Rohan hesitated slightly.

"I don't," Yan said, startled. “How is this different from the other times? Not even the D-Dai Li is omnipotent. Let's just run away...”

“Can you tell me where we are, Yan?” Interrupted Kuzou.

“Uh... in the middle of the sea... more than that it's kind of hard to say with this darkness...” he tried, caught off guard by the question.

“Can you see that?” He asked, pointing northeast.

His friends focused on the indicated direction.

“Er... see what, exactly?” Asked the nomad.

“Maybe this will help” and then all the lights on the boat went out, throwing them in complete pitch.

“Was that supposed to help...?” Asked Ember, barely able to see her colleagues.

“I was going to turn off the lights anyway so as not to attract attention. Get your eyes used to the darkness” requested the former agent.

“Now I don't even know _where_ to look...” complained the airbender.

His complaint was interrupted when he finally noticed something. A gleam appeared on the horizon, distinct in the surrounding sea of darkness.

“Light...?” Rohan had seen it too.

“What could produce such light to brighten a horizon?” inquired Kuzou.

"A big city, I imagine..." began Ember.

"We are on the East Lake," Yan said, realizing then.

“Yes” Kuzou nodded.

The silence joined the darkness, as a feeling of dread began to manifest itself in the ambiance.

"We are not at sea," said the former agent. “Land surrounds us, not the other way around. We are not here by chance. The limits of this lake are _our_ limit.”

“Are you saying... we have no choice?” Asked the giant.

Kuzou did not answer.

No one seemed to want to speak anymore.

The former agent looked at the brightness in the distance. His wrists were heavy. The weight of the handcuffs was still there, despite having left them behind with the pirate ship. Now he knew, though, that the chains he felt were not those of metal. What was binding him was something older, something he thought he got rid of; but no, he had just gotten used to the presence. Now that the chain was pulling again, it made it clear that it had never disappeared; it was just loosened. Reminding him that the shackle would never open.

Now the chains pulled even his friends. Dragging them into the lights of Ba Sing Se.


End file.
